The Walter-McCarren Act goes into effect, changing some of the criteria
for immigrants to be
admitted to the U.S. While it did little
to change the quota system that was already in place, it still gave preference
to European immigrants, specifically England, Ireland and Germany, giving these
three countries two-thirds of the allocated slots available. But it did remove some racial barriers that
had previously
excluded Japan and China, which were assigned very small quotas.
The Act called for a more intense screening
to make sure anyone labeled a subversive was not allowed entry and those from
communist or communist-front organization were to be deported. “In defending the act, Senator McCarren
declared, "If this oasis of the world should be overrun, perverted,
contaminated, or destroyed, then the last flickering light of humanity will be
extinguished."
President Harry S. Truman took a very different view,
calling the legislation "un-American" and inhumane. When the bill was
passed in June 1952, Truman vetoed the bill. Congress overrode his veto, and
the act took effect in December.”
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