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Explore histories of migration, citizenship and belonging in Germany and the U.S. over the centuries.

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2010
The Federal DREAM Act Fails

In 2010, the widely supported federal Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act failed in the Senate. The DREAM Act was designed to provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as minors and who had been educated in the U.S. or had served in the military.

The first version of the act was introduced in 2000 in the context of a growing grassroots movement of undocumented young people. Though the DREAM Act showed strong bipartisan support at the start of President Obama’s term, in 2010, Republicans widely denounced the bill for providing “amnesty” without addressing immigration enforcement. After passing in the House of Representatives, Senate Democrats needed 60 votes to overcome a Republican filibuster, but achieved only 55. Activists continue to work for a federal DREAM Act.
United States
Sources
  1. Lisa Mascaro, Michael Muskal. Dream Act Fails to Advance in Senate. Los Angeles Times. December 18, 2010. Date accessed: September 13, 2015.
  2. Marisa Franco. How a Bus Full of Undocumented Families Could Change the Immigration Debate. YES! Magazine. November 30, 2012. Date accessed: September 13, 2015.
Additional Resources
  1. DreamACTivist.org Undocumented Students Action And Resource Network. Date accessed: June 17, 2015.
  2. Dreamers Adrift. Date accessed: June 17, 2015.
  3. The Dream is Now.
  4. William Pérez. We are Americans: undocumented students pursuing the American dream. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
  5. William A. Schwab, G. David Gearhart. Right to dream: immigration reform and America’s future. Fayetteville, ARK: University of Arkansas Press.
Learn how these timelines were made
UNITED STATES
/
GERMANY
Pre-Colonial Migrations
1491
Pre-Colonial Migrations
European Colonization: The First Wave
1492
European Colonization: The First Wave
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: Largest Forced Migration in History
1619
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: Largest Forced Migration in History
Dutch Colonize Modern-Day New York City
1621
Dutch Colonize Modern-Day New York City
Tap Dancing: An Afro-Irish Fusion
1650
Tap Dancing: An Afro-Irish Fusion
Three-Fifths Compromise: slaves counted as 3/5 of a person
1787
Three-Fifths Compromise: slaves counted as 3/5 of a person
First Citizenship Laws Reserved for Free Whites
1790
First Citizenship Laws Reserved for Free Whites
The Alien and Sedition Acts
1798
The Alien and Sedition Acts
The Second Wave: Irish and German Immigration
1820
The Second Wave: Irish and German Immigration
Trail of Tears: Forced Migration of Native Americans
1830
Trail of Tears: Forced Migration of Native Americans
State Legislation Authorizes German Bilingual Education
1839
State Legislation Authorizes German Bilingual Education
Dred Scott Decision Denies Citizenship to Black Americans
1845
Dred Scott Decision Denies Citizenship to Black Americans
Mexican–American War: 80,000 Mexicans Become U.S. Citizens
1848
Mexican–American War: 80,000 Mexicans Become U.S. Citizens
Native American Boarding Schools Force Assimilation
1860
Native American Boarding Schools Force Assimilation
Transcontinental Railroad & Immigrant Labor
1862
Transcontinental Railroad & Immigrant Labor
Citizenship Granted to “All Persons” Born on U.S. Soil
1870
Citizenship Granted to “All Persons” Born on U.S. Soil
Natives No Longer Independent
1871
Natives No Longer Independent
Chinese Immigrants Face Exclusion
1875
Chinese Immigrants Face Exclusion
The Third Wave: Immigration to and Within the US
1880
The Third Wave: Immigration to and Within the US
Migration to the USA
1880
Migration to the USA
Statue of Liberty dedicated
1886
Statue of Liberty dedicated
Native Americans’ Political Autonomy Threatened
1887
Native Americans’ Political Autonomy Threatened
Jacob Riis Documents Tenement Life
1890
Jacob Riis Documents Tenement Life
Bureau of Immigration & Ellis Island Established
1891
Bureau of Immigration & Ellis Island Established
New Colonies & Territories Shape Migration
1898
New Colonies & Territories Shape Migration
Immigrant Press Booms
1900
Immigrant Press Booms
Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle
1905
Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle
Senate Report Discriminates Eastern & Southern Europeans
1907
Senate Report Discriminates Eastern & Southern Europeans
U.S. & Japan broker “Gentlemen’s Agreement”
1907
U.S. & Japan broker “Gentlemen’s Agreement”
The Melting Pot opens on Broadway
1908
The Melting Pot opens on Broadway
The Great Migration: Black-Americans migrate north
1910
The Great Migration: Black-Americans migrate north
Angel Island Immigration Station established
1910
Angel Island Immigration Station established
Migrant Workers Perish in Factory
1911
Migrant Workers Perish in Factory
World War I Spurs Anti-German Crusade
1914
World War I Spurs Anti-German Crusade
Eugenics Movement fuels nativism and racism
1915
Eugenics Movement fuels nativism and racism
Second-Class Citizenship Granted to Puerto Ricans
1917
Second-Class Citizenship Granted to Puerto Ricans
List of “Undesirables” Expanded
1917
List of “Undesirables” Expanded
Red Scare Deportations
1919
Red Scare Deportations
Country of Origin Quotas cuts Immigration
1921
Country of Origin Quotas cuts Immigration
South Asians Barred From Citizenship
1923
South Asians Barred From Citizenship
U.S. Citizenship Conferred on All Native Americans
1924
U.S. Citizenship Conferred on All Native Americans
Border Patrol Established
1924
Border Patrol Established
New School Creates University in Exile for Jewish Intellectuals
1933
New School Creates University in Exile for Jewish Intellectuals
Philippine Independence Limits Immigration
1934
Philippine Independence Limits Immigration
Mexican “Guest Worker” Program Established
1942
Mexican “Guest Worker” Program Established
Japanese Americans Interned
1942
Japanese Americans Interned
War Brides Act
1945
War Brides Act
Carlos Bulosan’s “America is in the Heart”
1946
Carlos Bulosan’s “America is in the Heart”
Cold War Spurs Immigration Restrictions, Repeals Race-Based Exclusions
1952
Cold War Spurs Immigration Restrictions, Repeals Race-Based Exclusions
Deportation of Mexicans Increase Under Operation Wetback
1954
Deportation of Mexicans Increase Under Operation Wetback
Cuban Revolution Spurs Migration
1959
Cuban Revolution Spurs Migration
Paule Marshall’s “Brown Girl, Brownstones”
1959
Paule Marshall’s “Brown Girl, Brownstones”
The 4th Wave: diversified immigration
1965
The 4th Wave: diversified immigration
Civil Rights Leads to Modern Immigration System
1965
Civil Rights Leads to Modern Immigration System
Nuyorican Movement Celebrates New York-Puerto Rican Culture
1968
Nuyorican Movement Celebrates New York-Puerto Rican Culture
Bilingual Education Act Aims to Serve Non-Native English Speakers
1968
Bilingual Education Act Aims to Serve Non-Native English Speakers
Paris Peace Accords & Southeast Asian Refugees
1973
Paris Peace Accords & Southeast Asian Refugees
Rediscovery of Okada’s No-No Boy
1976
Rediscovery of Okada’s No-No Boy
Increased Asylum as U.N. Definition of Refugee Adopted
1980
Increased Asylum as U.N. Definition of Refugee Adopted
Central American Civil Wars & Refugees
1980
Central American Civil Wars & Refugees
Murder of Vincent Chin Spurs Movement
1982
Murder of Vincent Chin Spurs Movement
Limited Amnesty for Undocumented Immigrants
1986
Limited Amnesty for Undocumented Immigrants
U.S. Invites Highly Skilled Migrants
1990
U.S. Invites Highly Skilled Migrants
California Denies Public Services to Undocumented Immigrants
1994
California Denies Public Services to Undocumented Immigrants
Clinton Administration Increases Border Militarization
1994
Clinton Administration Increases Border Militarization
NAFTA Catalyses Mexican Migration
1994
NAFTA Catalyses Mexican Migration
Punishment Increases for Undocumented Migrants
1996
Punishment Increases for Undocumented Migrants
9/11 Leads to Stricter National Security & Islamophobic Backlash
2001
9/11 Leads to Stricter National Security & Islamophobic Backlash
Special Registration Ordered for Arabs & South Asians
2002
Special Registration Ordered for Arabs & South Asians
Restrictive Bill Spurs Mass Immigrant Rights Protests
2005
Restrictive Bill Spurs Mass Immigrant Rights Protests
“Made in L.A.” Brings Attention to Migrant Workers
2007
“Made in L.A.” Brings Attention to Migrant Workers
State Action on Access to Higher Education
2010
State Action on Access to Higher Education
States Move to Police & Punish Undocumented Immigration
2010
States Move to Police & Punish Undocumented Immigration
Opening of Islamic Cultural Center Sparks Controversy
2010
Opening of Islamic Cultural Center Sparks Controversy
Iroquois Nationals Passport Controversy
2010
Iroquois Nationals Passport Controversy
The Federal DREAM Act Fails
2010
The Federal DREAM Act Fails
Deportations Skyrocket Under Obama & “Secure Communities”
2010
Deportations Skyrocket Under Obama & “Secure Communities”
Coming Out as Undocumented becomes Political Strategy
2011
Coming Out as Undocumented becomes Political Strategy
Arizona Bans Ethnic Studies
2011
Arizona Bans Ethnic Studies
Presidential Orders on Immigration
2012
Presidential Orders on Immigration
Oak Creek Massacre
2012
Oak Creek Massacre
#BlackLivesMatter Sparks Movement
2013
#BlackLivesMatter Sparks Movement
The Ongoing Debate over Immigration Reform
2015
The Ongoing Debate over Immigration Reform
Standing Rock and Indigenous Rights
2016
Standing Rock and Indigenous Rights
Donald Trump & The Alt-Right
2016
Donald Trump & The Alt-Right
Criminalization of Immigrants
2017
Criminalization of Immigrants
COVID-19 and Immigration
2020
COVID-19 and Immigration
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