What impact did the Immigration Act of 1924 have on immigration to the United States?

The Immigration Act of 1924 had a significant impact on immigration patterns to the United States by establishing strict quotas that severely limited immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe. This legislation aimed to restrict the flow of immigrants based on national origin with the intention of preserving the racial and cultural homogeneity of the U.S. population. The new quota system allocated visas according to a formula that disproportionately favored Northern and Western European countries, allowing a significantly higher number of immigrants from those regions while drastically reducing the quotas for immigrants from Southern and Eastern European countries.

Additionally, the act particularly targeted specific groups deemed less desirable according to prevailing racial and ethnic attitudes of the time, which meant that immigrants from countries like Italy, Poland, and Russia faced extreme limitations. This legislative measure reflected wider societal sentiments and prejudices, influencing the demographics of future immigration well into the following decades.

Understanding the quotas and restrictions imposed by the Immigration Act of 1924 is crucial for grasping how U.S. immigration policy was shaped by social and cultural factors during that period, significantly altering the country's immigration landscape.