Immigration Act of 1965
Or the Hart-Celler Act
Background
Prior to the act, the law preferred northern and western Europeans rather than southerners and eastern ones and it excluded Latin Americans, Asians and Africans. President J.F.K. said the law was "nearly intolerable" and after his assassination, President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill at the foot of the statue of liberty as a gesture of freedom and liberty.
Long Term Effects
People from Asia, Africa and the Middle East could now come in to the country, also, the population of Latin Americans in the country dramatically increased since 1965. The percent of racial minorities in the country increased from 20 percent in 1990 to 36.6 percent in 2010 according to the census and the percentage of non-hispanic whites decreased from 75 percent in 1990 to 63.4 percent in 2011.
People That Proposed the Bill
Emanuel Celler
Representative of New York that proposed the bill.
Philip Hart
Senator of Michigan that co-sponsored the bill.
Ted Kennedy
Senator of Massachusetts that promoted the bill.