On June 2, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge signed the Johnson-Reed Act, a major immigration restriction law. It imposed national-origin quotas that favored northern and western Europeans and sharply limited immigrants from other regions. The act reflected prevailing nativist attitudes and fears about cultural change. It shaped U.S. immigration patterns for decades until the 1965 reforms. The law also barred immigration of persons ineligible for citizenship, including most Asians. Its legacy continues to be discussed in debates over immigration policy and national identity.
