Featured in Issues & Controversies in American History:
IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT OF 1965: Congress Ends National Origins Immigration System
In 1965, Congress passed the Immigration and Nationality Act, ending the national origins system established in the 1920s. Under that system, foreign countries received immigration quotas based on the national heritage of the U.S. population, quotas that heavily favored immigrants from northern Europe over the rest of the world. Supporters of the national origins system argued that it preserved the United States’ current ethnic makeup and ensured a flow of “desirable” immigrants who could easily assimilate into American society. Opponents of the national origins system argued that it was discriminatory, contrary to American values, and that all immigrants could assimilate into American society.
Let your students get the facts and decide for themselves: Was the national origins system good or bad for the United States, and should it have been changed? Be sure to check out Issues & Controversies in American History’s clear and unbiased examination of the Immigration and Nationality Act this month.
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