New Immigration in the United States
Immigration from 1965 to 2006 The New Immigration
Introduction to New Immigration
A major change in U.S. immigration policy occurred with the passage of amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1965. National-origin quotas were abolished, and annual limits of 170,000 Eastern Hemisphere immigrants and 120,000 Western Hemisphere immigrants were established. For Eastern Hemisphere immigrants, preferences were given to close relatives of American citizens, refugees, and individuals who possessed job skills in short supply in the United States. There was no preference system for Western Hemisphere immigrants, with visas available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The act exempted spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens from such numerical limits, as well as certain categories of special immigrants.
The 1965 act marked the beginning of a large and sustained wave of immigration even greater that of the early 20th century. Almost 4.5 million immigrants were admitted to the United States as legal permanent residents during the 1970s, a figure that grew to more than 7 million in the 1980s. Over 9 million legal immigrants were admitted in the 1990s, more than in any previous decade. These numbers include a large proportion of individuals who were already living in the United States as illegal aliens, legal refugees, or asylees (those granted political asylum). Although Congress had anticipated a new wave of European immigrants as a result of its reforms, about 80 percent of these immigrants came from Latin America, the Caribbean, or Asia. As in the past, economic opportunities in the United States provided the main attraction for immigrants from abroad.
Since the 1970s the leading countries of origin for legal immigrants have been Mexico (accounting for more than 20 percent of all immigrants), the Philippines (7 percent), China (4 percent), India (4 percent), South Korea (4 percent), Vietnam (4 percent), and the Dominican Republic (4 percent). Most immigrants have settled in California, New York, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, or Illinois. Smaller numbers live in regions throughout the United States. As in the past, most immigrants work in light industry, services, or agriculture. Many recent immigrants are well-educated professionals.
In 1978 an amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act abolished separate quotas for each hemisphere and instituted an annual quota of 290,000 immigrants worldwide, with a maximum of 20,000 for any one country. The Refugee Act of 1980 reduced the quota for all immigrants to 270,000 persons, excluding refugees. The Refugee Act estimated a “normal flow” of refugees and asylees entering the United States at about 50,000 people annually. However, the United States has admitted an average of 85,000 refugees and 7,000 asylees annually since 1980. Under the act, the maximum number of refugees allowed is set annually by the president of the United States, although it may be adjusted during the year in response to humanitarian crises.
In the 1980s concern about the surge of undocumented aliens-foreigners illegally entering the United States without proper documents-led Congress to pass legislation aimed at curtailing illegal immigration. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 mandated penalties for employers who hire illegal aliens. The act contained an amnesty provision that allowed most undocumented aliens who had lived in the United States continuously since January 1, 1982, to apply for legal status. It also granted amnesty to some illegal aliens working in agriculture.” (1)
Resources
Notes and References
- Information about New Immigration in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia
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