Theu.s. Immigration And Nationality Act Of 1965 - 925 Words

The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, also known as Hart-Cellar Act, represents the most significant period in the history of Asian Americans. Decades of continuous exclusion and racist immigration policies, came to an end with the adoption of the Act, which resulted in unprecedented flows of immigrants from Asia, Mexico, Latin America, and other countries immigrating to U.S. Most influential proved to be the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, which brought national and international attention to the pervasive problem of racism and economic inequality in American society, including discriminatory immigration laws. New arrivals, especially from Asia, have transformed the demographic and diversity characteristics of Asian American community, and American society in general. The immigration Act of 1965 was the most important immigration reform legislation for Asian Americans and other racial minorities because it finally challenged the American race relations and dramatical ly improved the lives of Asian Americans. Despite Congressional efforts to bar Asian immigration, the domestic uprisings of that era and a new global vision of international relations pushed the U.S. government to end the biased quota system and the absolute exclusionist ideology (Hing 38). Since after World War II, U.S. shifted into the position of an international superpower, it had new obligations and objectives around the globe (Le, C.N. 1). Therefore, the U.S. government could no longer