America’s 250th: When America banned an entire race – The 1924 Immigration Act

Many Americans identify immigration as their biggest worry, even above the economy, inflation and homelessness. Surprisingly, the United States was in a nearly identical position about a hundred years ago. In May 1924, amid significant public concern about the impacts of immigration, Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1924 to help control immigration into the United States.

The Immigration Act of 1924 wasn’t just about controlling and tracking who came into the country. It was intentionally built on deeply held racial biases. Passed after World War I, the law was meant to fundamentally alter the makeup of the U.S. population. It strengthened the rules of the 1921 Emergency Quota Act, establishing a total number of immigrants allowed from all over the world. It then broke that number down into how many could come from each country.

Those quotas were based on 1890 census data, resulting in a legally clever way to favor immigrants from northern and western Europe. It was reported that the enforcement of the law was so racially motivated that officials manipulated quotas from countries America had colonized, prioritizing immigrants from Europe over Black immigrants.

In addition, the law completely banned Asian immigrants. Though restrictions on Asian immigration had begun in the 1860s, the 1924 act made Asians the only group whose entry was completely forbidden based on their race. Before the act, politicians and citizens had created fear about an “Asian invasion,” falsely claiming these people threatened the country’s morals and health. Hundreds of violent acts occurred against Chinese communities, including terrible massacres and lynchings. The government’s response, unbelievably, was to limit immigration instead of punishing the people doing the violence.^#1

Conveniently, the 1924 law exempted countries of the Western Hemisphere because American businesses and agriculture needed a constant, cheap workforce, specifically from Mexico. The ultimate aim was to keep the population predominantly “white” while still having the low-cost labor to drive the economy. To enforce these rules, Congress created the U.S. Border Patrol almost immediately after the law was passed.

Just like in the 1920s, many Americans today have deep concerns about their financial futures and personal safety. However, supporting stronger immigration laws right now is a practical issue of national defense and economic stability, rather than a repeat of past prejudices. As the economy changes, millions of citizens face unstable jobs and a widening gap between the rich and the poor. This makes them understandably concerned about policies that could leave the country open to economic problems and outside security threats.

The Immigration Act of 1924 is a horrible example of why immigration policies absolutely can’t be built on prejudice or unfairly limiting numbers from certain places. But to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, we need immigration laws that are both rigorous and effective, fair while also strong. For the United States to proceed without trouble, it must have very strong immigration rules that are enforced to safeguard both the country’s security and its financial well-being.

^#2 The ban on Asian immigration was formally lifted by the McCarran-Walter Act of 1952 (Immigration and Nationality Act).