How did congress respond to nativism in the 1920s?

Answer 1

In the 1920s, Congress responded to nativism by enacting restrictive Immigration laws, most notably the Immigration Act of 1924. This legislation established national origin quotas that severely limited immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, while favoring Northern and Western European immigrants. The law reflected the widespread nativist sentiment of the time, which sought to preserve what many perceived as the cultural homogeneity of the United States. Additionally, the rise of organizations like the Ku Klux Klan further fueled anti-immigrant attitudes, leading to greater legislative support for such restrictive measures.