The Impact Of Immigration Flashcards
What was the Immigration Act?
Listed ‘undesirable’ immigrants to be excluded: homosexuals, insane people, criminals
Imposed literacy qualification for 16+
What was the Emergency Quota Act
Restricted yearly number of immigrants from any country to 3% of total number of people from that country in the USA in 1910
What was the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act
Changed quota to 2% of people from country or origin in 1890 census until 1 July 1927, after that, number immigrants fixed at 150,000 and based on 1920 census
What was the National Origins formula
Confirmed 150,000 limit on immigrants, bans Asian immigrants
When was the Immigration Act
1917
When was the Emergency Quota Act
1921
When was the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act
1924
When was the National Origins Formula
1929
Why was immigration legislation passed in 1920
Post-war isolationism
Dillingham Commission
Red scare 1919-20
Spike in unemployment
How did the government control hysteria over immigration in 1920s
Passing legislation
Deportation
What was the Dillingham Commission
Report that said immigration was beginning to pose serious threat to American culture and society
Distinguished between ‘old’ immigrants from England, Ireland, and Germany
Said ‘new’ immigrants from southern/Eastern Europe couldn’t adapt to society
Didn’t account for time needed for ‘new’ immigrants to adapt
When was the Dillingham commission
Report made in 1911
Where did the quotas for immigration apply
Europe and Asia
Immigration from South American in 1920s
Increased in late 1920s, filled need for cheap labour in California and Texas (agriculture, mining, railroad building)
Many illegal immigrants, exploited and paid poorly with bad living and working conditions
Impact of the Great Depression on immigration
Americans lost homes, migrated to California for work, mass deportation, around 400,000
Impact of immigration on urban areas up until 1941
Most urban areas broken down into informally segregated areas, different food shops and churches, newspapers from their home country
Chinese communities most significantly self-isolated due to cultural differences
Lots of immigrants arrived to worst jobs and living conditions with lowest wages
By 1920, Irish politicians, lawyers, and policemen in Boston and Italian in New York
Impact of Second World War on immigrants
Japanese, Italian, and German people classed as enemy aliens
120,000 Japanese put in internment camps, property confiscated
Fewer than 1% of Germans and Italians interned but had to obey restrictions
Many ‘enemy aliens’ volunteered for the US military
What was the Alien registration Act
Required non-citizens to register with the federal government
Entitles those with a ‘green card’ to live and work in the US indefinitely
1950: vetting procedure ensures green cards only go to ‘legal’ immigrants (people registered and processed by immigration service)
When was the Alien registration act
1940
What was the Displaced Persons Act
Allowed for immigration of 415,000 people displaced by the war over 4 years (within quota limit)
When was the Displaced Persons Act
1948, extended 1950
What was the Immigration and Nationality Act (McCarren-Walter Act)
Retains limit to number of immigrants (150,000) and quota system
Allows for 100,000 Asian immigrants and introduces preference for skilled workers
Doesn’t apply to western hemisphere
Means 85% immigrants from Northern and Western Europe
When was the immigration and nationality act (McCarren-Walter Act)
1952
What was the Refugee Relief Act
Extended 1948 displaced persons act, allows 214,000 refugees from Europe
