Naturalization - Citizenship - Immigration Lawyers

Immigration and Naturalization laws govern the rules of how individuals can enter the US, length of stay, and the characteristics an immigrant. For much of its history the United States allowed unrestricted immigration. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, various restrictions were placed, most notably on Asian immigrants. The Johnson-Reed Act of 1924, also known as the Permanent National Origins Quota Act, began a quota system that lasted for 40 years. Simply put, countries could send legal immigrants to the United States in proportion to the percentage of the population (in 1924) who were of that particular nationality. The law favored immigrants from northwestern Europe, and almost completely cut out immigrants from Asia. A preference system was added in 1952 with the Immigration and Nationality Act, giving preference to people with skills needed in the United States, relatives of U.S. citizens, etc.