According to the historical account in the U.S. House of Representatives’ archives, this law “overhauled America’s immigration system during a period of deep global instability. For decades, a federal quota system had severely restricted the number of people from outside Western Europe eligible to settle in the United States. Passed during the height of the Cold War, Hart–Celler erased America’s longstanding policy of limiting immigration based on national origin….” This revision “prioritized highly skilled immigrants and opened the door for people with family already living in the United States. ..The law capped the number of annual visas at 290,000, which included a restriction of 20,000 visas per country per year…. In particular, the law created new opportunities for immigrants from Asian nations to join relatives in America. Following Hart–Celler, annual immigration jumped to nearly a half million people, and only 20 percent came from Europe.”
AN ACT:
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (66 Stat. 176; 8 U.S.C. 1151) be amended to read as follows:
…Exclusive of special immigrants…the number of aliens who may be issued immigrant visas or who may otherwise acquire the status of an alien lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence, or who may, pursuant to section 203(a) (7) enter conditionally,…shall not in any fiscal year exceed a total of 170,000…
…No person shall receive any preference or priority or be discriminated against in the issuance of an immigrant visa because of his race, sex, nationality, place of birth, or place of residence…
- (1) Visas shall be first made available, in a number not to exceed 20 per centum of the number specified in section 201(a) (ii), to qualified immigrants who are the unmarried sons or daughters of citizens of the United States.
- (2) Visas shall next be made available, in a number not to exceed 20 per centum of the number specified in section 201(a) (ii), plus any visas not required for the classes specified in paragraph (1), to qualified immigrants who are the spouses, unmarried sons or unmarried daughters of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
- (3) Visas shall next be made available, in a number not to exceed 10 per centum of the number specified in section 201(a) (ii), to qualified immigrants who are members of the professions, or who because of their exceptional ability in the sciences or the arts will substantially benefit prospectively the national economy, cultural interests, or welfare of the United States….