The Immigrant Act of 1924

The Immigration Act of 1924, also known as the Johnson-Reed Act, was a law that restricted immigration from certain countries, especially Eastern and Southern Europe and Asia. It established strict quotas based on the 1890 U.S. Census, severely limiting immigration from these regions and favoring Northern and Western Europeans. The law also effectively banned immigration from Asia, excluding most Asian immigrants entirely. Its purpose was to preserve the racial and ethnic makeup of the United States at the time, reflecting nativist attitudes. The act remained in effect until it was replaced by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.