1. Nativism and Anti-Immigrant Sentiment: There was a rise in nativist sentiments in the United States during the early 20th century. Many native-born Americans feared the influx of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, whom they perceived as culturally and racially different from the existing population. This sentiment fueled the push for immigration restrictions.
2. Economic Protectionism: The economy of the United States faced challenges in the aftermath of World War I, including high unemployment and economic dislocation. Some Americans believed that restricting immigration would help preserve jobs for native-born Americans during these challenging times.
3. Quota System: The Immigration Act of 1924 introduced a quota system that set numerical limits on the number of immigrants allowed from each country annually. This system favored immigrants from Northern and Western Europe while severely restricting those from Southern and Eastern Europe.
4. Eugenicist Ideas: Some policymakers and intellectuals of the time subscribed to eugenicist beliefs, which promoted the idea that certain racial and ethnic groups were inherently inferior and could "dilute" the American gene pool. These ideas influenced immigration policy by targeting immigrants from perceived "inferior" backgrounds.
5. National Origins Formula: The Immigration Act of 1921 established the "national origins formula," which determined the national quotas based on the ethnic composition of the U.S. population in 1890. This formula further favored immigrants from countries that were already well-represented in the United States.
6. Asian Exclusion Act: The Immigration Act of 1924 effectively extended the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which had prohibited Chinese immigration. The new law also imposed restrictions on immigration from other Asian countries, reinforcing the country's policy of Asian exclusion.
It is important to note that the immigration restrictions of the 1920s had significant social, economic, and cultural consequences. They not only limited the flow of immigrants but also perpetuated discrimination against certain ethnic and racial groups, shaping immigration policy and American society for decades to come.