Final answer:
A quota is a limit on the number of people or goods, and in the U.S. immigration system, it has been used to control the flow of immigrants. Historical examples include the Emergency Quota Law of 1921 and the National Origins Act of 1924, both of which favored certain European immigrants and excluded Asians. The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 marked a shift away from such quotas, allowing for a more diverse immigrant population.
Step-by-step explanation:
A quota is a government-imposed limit on the number or proportion of people or goods allowed to enter or leave a country. In the U.S. immigration system, quotas have been used to control and restrict the flow of immigrants, particularly from specific countries or regions.
The Emergency Quota Law of 1921 and the National Origins Act of 1924 are noteworthy examples, where immigration was limited to a percentage based on U.S. census figures from earlier decades. This system heavily favored immigrants from northern and western Europe as opposed to southern and eastern Europe, and outright banned immigration from Asia. Policies based on quotas also reflected the U.S. desire to maintain American homogeneity and addressed economic and labor concerns.
In contrast, the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 was a transformative policy that moved away from the quota system towards one that prioritized family reunification and attracting skilled laborers. However, the U.S. continued to place caps on the number of immigrants from each country. This change allowed for an increased number of immigrants from Asian and Latin American countries, which previously faced severe restrictions or outright exclusion under the quota system.