Immigration to the United States by Region, 1820 to 2001

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Immigration to the United States by Region, 1820 to 2001. 

Data from : United States Census Bureau, 2002

Human Geography (10th) by H.J.de Blij (Wiley) - 109page

Waves of Immigration in the United States

Changes in a country’s migration policies are reflected in the number of people entering the country
and the origin of the immigrants (see Fig. 3.20). 

The United States experienced two major waves of immigration before 1930
 and is in the midst of another great wave of immigration today.

Major changes in the government’s migration policies are reflected in this graph. 

Push factors are also reflected in Figure 3.20,
as people in different regions found reasons to leave their home and migrate to the United States.

During the 1800s, the United States opened its doors to immigration. 

Most of the immigrants arrived from Europe, especially Northern Europe (Scandinavia) 
and western Europe (including Ireland, Great Britain, Germany, and France). 

In the later part of the 1800s, a greater proportion of Europeans
who immigrated to the United States came from Southern and eastern Europe 
(including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Russia, and Poland).

Following World War I, political tides in the United States turned toward isolationism
—staying out of entanglements abroad. In addition,
Congress feared growing migration from eastern and Southern Europe. 

Many whites in the United States at the time saw migrants from eastern
and southern Europe as darker skinned and as an inferior race of whites. 

In this context, Congress passed restrictive legislation in 1921, deterring immigration from southern and eastern Europe.

Congress set immigration quotas, whereby each year, 
European countries could permit the emigration
to the United States of 3 percent of the number of its nationals living in the United States in 1910. 

In 1910, the greatest proportion of immigrants in the United States came from northern and western Europe,
thus the quotas allowed migration from northern and western Europe 
and severely restricted immigration from southern and eastern Europe (Fig. 3.20).

In 1924, Congress altered the Immigration Act
by lowering the quota to 2 percent and making 1890 the base year,
further reducing the annual total to 150,000 immigrants
and further discouraging eastern and southern European migration.

The rapid fall in total immigration to the United States is clear in Figure 3.20.
Just prior to the Great Depression, Congress passed the National Origins Law in 1929,
whereby Congress continued to limit immigration to 150,000 per year. 

Congress also tied immigration quotas to the national origins of the U.S. population in 1920. 

As a result of this provision, Congress in effect prevented the immigration of Asians. 

With these laws in effect and the Great Depression in full swing, immigration slowed to a trickle during the 1930s.

In some years emigration actually exceeded immigration in the United States.

After 1940, Congress modifi ed the restrictions on immigration to the United States. 

In 1943, Congress gave China equal status to that of European countries
and in 1952 granted Japan a similar status. In 1952, immigration began to rise again (Fig. 3.20)
after Congress passed a new Immigration and Nationality Act. 

Congress designed the act to incorporate all preceding legislation,
establishing quotas for all countries and limiting total immigration to 160,000. 

However, far more than 160,000 immigrants entered the country as refugees,
thereby filling quotas for years ahead. Estimates vary,
but more than 7 million immigrants may have entered the United States as refugees between 1945 and 1970.

By 1965, Congress recognized the 1952 act as a failure and abolished the quota system. 

Congress set new limits, which are also reflected in Figure 3.20. 

The United States allowed 170,000 immigrants per year from countries outside of the Western Hemisphere
and 120,000 from countries in the Americas. 

Refugee policies and guest worker policies over the last three decades
allowed many more immigrants than these limitations.

The United States and Australia are not the only countries that have restricted immigration. 

Many countries practice selective immigration,
in which individuals with certain backgrounds
(criminal records, poor health, subversive activities) are barred from entering.

Other countries have specific requirements. 

For example, South Africa long demanded “pure” European descent
; New Zealand favored persons of British birth and parentage
; Australia’s assisted passage program favored immigrants from Britain, the Netherlands, Malta, and Italy
; Brazil preferred people with a farming background
; and Singapore courts financially secure persons of Chinese ancestry. 

Today South American countries place limits on the number of immigrants who may cross their borders, 
and several countries are instituting quota systems.