The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 marked a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy as Congress sought to impose restrictions on the influx of immigrants. In the aftermath of World War I and during a period of economic uncertainty, there was a growing concern among many Americans about the influence of new immigrants on American society and culture. The act established a quota system that limited the number of immigrants allowed entry into the United States based on the nationality of those already in the country. This system utilized the data from the 1910 census to determine the number of immigrants each nationality could send to the U.S., with a limit set at 3% of that group’s representation in the 1910 population figures.The legislation was intended to favor immigrants from Northwestern Europe, while severely restricting those from Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as Asia, where immigration was already limited by previous laws. The act was firmly rooted in the nativist sentiments of the era and reflected a growing fear among Americans regarding the rapid demographic changes in the country. Critics of the act argued that it not only discriminated against specific nationalities but also violated the spirit of America as a nation of immigrants.Despite its initial implementation, the Emergency Quota Act paved the way for even stricter immigration regulations in the following years, leading to the Immigration Act of 1924, which established even lower quotas and effectively barred immigration from certain regions. This legislation reflected and contributed to the tightening of attitudes towards immigration that would characterize American policy for decades to come.