Mr. President. in 1924. when the present immigration act was drawn and enacted into law. there were two plans incorporated. one of a temporary nature. the other intended to be of a permanent nature. It was deemed at that time advisable to follow such a theory as had been incorporated in the nationalorigins clause. to seek to base immigration quotas upon the percentage of the population represented in this country by the various countries of Europe at a given time. But it was very apparent that before any basis of quotas could be worked out on that theory. before the facts could be ascertained and the quotas fixed. a number of years would intervene. Then for the period between then and the time when the nationalorigins clause should become effective it was provided that the basis of immigration should be 2 per cent of the total population of the foreign born in the United States in the year 1890. It was known that the 2 per cent would bring into the country annually about 150.000 immigrants. or the same as would be admitted under the nationalorigins plan when it / became effective.
Keywords matched
immigration immigrants foreign born