Immigration Laws and Eugenics

The United States has been shaped by immigration. This chapter explores the misconceptions and impact of early immigration leading up to the 1924 Immigration Act. Many poor English arrived as transported felons. They lacked rights and eventually, as time passed, reinvented themselves as simply Americans. The late nineteenth century saw the rise of very racially restrictive immigration laws. These were shaped by eugenics in an attempt to craft an idealized national identity. The chapter discusses the forces, ideas, and importance of the 1924 Immigration Act. The chapter looks at some congressional testimony about immigration from prominent eugenicists and how their perspectives impacted the legislation.