1965 Immigration Act

The 1965 Immigration Act, also known as the Hart-Cawthrone Act, significantly changed U.S. immigration policy by ending the national origins quota system that favored European countries. Instead, it established a new system prioritizing family reunification and skilled immigrants, leading to increased diversity in immigrant populations. The law aimed to create a fairer process without biased quotas based on ethnicity or country of origin. It reflected shifts in social attitudes, emphasizing family ties and skills over racial or national preferences, and has had a lasting impact on the composition of immigrants to the United States.