Immigration Act of 1924

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European immigration to the United States 1881-1940

Immigration Act of 1924

The Immigration Act of 1924, also known as the National Origins Act or the Johnson-Reed Act, was a pivotal piece of legislation in the history of the United States that significantly restricted immigration into the country. Passed by the United States Congress on May 26, 1924, it aimed to preserve the ideal of U.S. homogeneity by limiting the influx of immigrants from certain countries. This act represented a significant shift in American immigration policy, favoring immigrants from Northern Europe over those from Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, and non-European countries.

Background

The early 20th century saw a surge in immigration to the United States, with millions of people arriving from Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world. This influx led to growing nativist sentiments among certain segments of the American population, who feared that the newcomers would not assimilate into American society, would take jobs from native-born Americans, and would alter the cultural and racial composition of the country. In response to these concerns, Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1917, which imposed literacy tests on immigrants, and established the Emergency Quota Act of 1921, which set temporary numerical limits on immigration.

Provisions

The Immigration Act of 1924 aimed to further restrict immigration by establishing permanent numerical limits and a national origins quota system. The key provisions of the act included:

• Setting an annual total quota of immigrants to 165,000, significantly lower than the number of immigrants in previous years.
• Basing the national origins quota system on the composition of the American population as of the 1890 census, thereby favoring immigrants from Northern and Western Europe.
• Excluding immigrants from Asia, as the act barred entry to those ineligible for citizenship, which at the time included most people from Asian countries due to existing naturalization laws.
• Providing preferential treatment to certain immigrants, including relatives of U.S. citizens and individuals from countries in the Western Hemisphere, who were not subject to the quota system.

Impact

The Immigration Act of 1924 had profound and lasting effects on the demographic composition of the United States. It drastically reduced the number of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, and other regions, while favoring those from Northern and Western Europe. The act also contributed to the decline of immigration from Japan, leading to tensions between the United States and Japan. The national origins quota system remained in place until 1965, when the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 abolished it, establishing a new immigration policy based on family reunification and skilled immigrants, regardless of their country of origin.

Criticism and Legacy

The Immigration Act of 1924 has been widely criticized for its discriminatory nature and its impact on separating families and excluding certain racial and ethnic groups. It reflected the nativist and xenophobic attitudes of the time, which sought to maintain a certain racial and ethnic composition in the United States. The act's legacy is a reminder of a period in American history when immigration policy was driven by racial and ethnic biases.

See Also

• Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
• Nativism (politics)
• Emergency Quota Act
• Immigration Act of 1917