Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, also known as the McCarran–Walter Act, was U.S. legislation that structured immigration and citizenship policies. It maintained national origins quotas from earlier laws but also introduced security restrictions, allowing for the exclusion of individuals deemed a threat. The Act established a more comprehensive system for immigration processing and naturalization, emphasizing national security during the Cold War era. It marked a shift towards a more systematic approach to immigration, balancing immigration control with pathways to U.S. citizenship, while retaining some discriminatory practices of prior laws.