Essay Sample on Hart-Cellar Act 1965: Reuniting Families & Attracting Skilled Labor

Introduction

Also known as the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Hart-Cellar Act of 1965 was a federal piece of legislation on immigration enacted to repeal the national origin quotas policy which had hitherto guaranteed a Euro-American majority in the United States. Congress also enacted the Act to help reunite immigrant families and attract skilled labor by permitting entry into the US of Latin American, African, and Asian immigrants (Skrentny et al., 2015). According to Skrentny et al. (2015), the enactment of the Hart-Cellar Act was a watershed moment in the US immigration policy shift. Hence, the major impact of this Act was that it significantly changed the US immigration policy, hence altering the complexion, character, and face of America.

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The Hart-Cellar Act had tremendous impacts on American immigration, particularly on Asian and Latino immigration. The Act restricted the entry of immigrants from Eastern Europe and Southern Europe but encouraged the immigration of Latin Americans, Africans, and Asians. Consequently, it led to a demographic change in the US population as more and more immigrants began to flow into the United States. With the enactment of the Act, there was a drastic alteration in the demographic complexion of the United States. For example, between 1947 and 1965, close to 100, 000 were from Pakistan and by the 2000s, the number had risen to 210, 000 Pakistani Americans, indicating the immediate impacts of the Hart-Cellar Act (Skrentny et al., 2015).

Moreover, the Hart-Cellar Act has impacted American immigration by promoting racial and ethnic diversity while denouncing a hitherto racist immigration policy in the US. This diversity is now seen in almost every aspect or sector of the US including schools, workplaces, and communities or neighborhoods. There have therefore been broader social and cultural changes in American life since the inauguration of the Hart-Cellar Act in 1965. As a result of the enactment of the Act, the population of African American and Asian or Indian Americans has shot up exponentially (Skrentny et al., 2015). The number of minorities by race and ethnicity has also increased significantly thanks to this Act, hence encouraging even more immigration into the US. The Act has also had the impact of making it easier for people from Asia and Africa to enter the United States.

Additionally, the Hart-Cellar Act made it possible for Immigrants from Adia and Latin America to pursue education and be actively involved in other sectors of American society. Their contribution to the American labor market has been notable in the past five decades since the enactment of the Act (Skrentny et al., 2015). Loosening restrictions on immigration from Latin American and Asian rejoins also impacted American immigration in that there was an increase in the influx of Latino and Asian immigrants.

Conclusion

In conclusion, though enacted five decades ago, the Hart-Cellar Act of 1965 has continued to shape and define the American immigration system. By removing national-origins quotas that had defined American immigration since the 20s, the Act openly promoted Asian and Latin American immigration into the US, hence altering the character, face, and complexion of America. In particular, the 1965 Act impacted Asian and Latino immigration by making it easier for them to enter the US, something that led to a drastic change in the diversity and population of the US. More Asians and Latinos were able to acquire opportunities in education and employment as a result. However, at the same time, the Hart-Cellar Act has led to a steep rise in undocumented and illegal immigration into the US. It ushered in the new American immigration policy of accepting immigrants, hence changing the demographic makeup of the US population.

Reference

Skrentny, J.D., Lee, J., Vallejo, J.A., Valdez, Z., & Gabaccia, D.R. (2015). Fifty years of "new" immigration. Contexts, 14 (2), 12-21. DOI: 10.1177/1536504215585769