The Immigration Act of 1924

The Immigration Act of 1924, also known as the Johnson-Reed Act, limited immigration to the United States by establishing quotas based on national origins, favoring Northern and Western Europeans while severely restricting immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe and all Asian countries. It aimed to preserve the ethnic composition of the U.S. as it was perceived in the 1890 and 1910 censuses, effectively reducing overall immigration and reinforcing racial and ethnic boundaries. The law marked a shift toward more restrictive immigration policies, emphasizing national origin as a primary criterion for entry.