Migration is a natural part of living systems, and human history is no exception. Yet it remains one of the most debated public issues of our time.
Both people and borders move. Who is allowed to move, and who is granted rights, lies at the heart of how nations define belonging. In Germany and the United States alike, these debates have been deeply intertwined with evolving ideas of race and ethnicity.
These timelines trace how citizenship and belonging have been constructed, challenged, and redefined through laws, social movements, global events, and cultural works — and how those histories continue to shape the present.
Enacted under the Clinton administration, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA) of 1996 significantly changed and streamlined immigration law pertaining to both legal and undocumented immigrants. The 1996 Act enhanced border patrol, strengthened enforcement against smuggling undocumented persons across the border, cracked down on document fraud, and increased deportation of undocumented migrants.
