Chapter 8. To limit the immigration of aliens into the United States
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CHAP. 8.— An Act To limit the immigration of aliens into the United States. May 19, 1921.[[H. R. 4075](/us/bill/67/hr/4075).][[Public, No. 5](/us/pl/67/5).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That as used in this Act— The term “United States” means the United States, and anyImmigration of aliens.“United States” construed. Canal Zone and insular restriction. waters, territory, or other place subject to the jurisdiction thereof except the Canal Zone and the Philippine Islands; but if any alien leaves the Canal Zone or any insular possession of the United States and attempts to enter any other place under the jurisdiction of the United States nothing contained in this Act shall be construed as permitting him to enter under any other conditions than those applicable to all aliens.
The word “alien” includes any person not a native-born or naturalized“Alien” defined. citizen of the United States, but this definition shall not be held to include Indians of the United States not taxed nor citizens of the islands under the jurisdiction of the United States. The term “Immigration Act” means the Act of February 5, 1917,“Immigration Act.”Vol. 39, pp. 874–898. entitled “An Act to regulate the immigration of aliens to, and the residence of aliens in, the United States”; and the term “immigration“Immigration laws.”Comprehensive meaning. laws” includes such Act and all laws, conventions, and treaties of the United States relating to the immigration, exclusion, or expulsion of aliens.
Sec. 2.
(a)That the number of aliens of any nationality who mayYearly admissions limited to 3 per cent of residents of same nationality. be admitted under the immigration laws to the United States in any fiscal year shall be limited to 3 per centum of the number of foreign-born persons of such nationality resident in the United States as determined by the United States census of 1910. This provision shallPersons excepted from percentage limits. not apply to the following, and they shall not be counted in reckoning any of the percentage limits provided in this Act:
(1)Government officials, their families, attendants, servants, and employees;
(2)aliens in continuous transit through the United States;
(3)aliens lawfully admitted to the United States who later go in transit from one part of the United States to another through foreign contiguous territory;
(4)aliens visiting the United States as tourists or temporarily for business or pleasure;
(5)aliens from countries immigration from which is regulated in accordance with treaties or agreements relating solely to immigration;
(6)aliens from the so-called Asiatic barred zone, as described in section 3 of the Immigration Act;
(7)aliens whoVol. 39, p. 876.Residents of contiguous countries, etc.*Post*, p. 549. have resided continuously for at least one year immediately preceding the time of their admission to the United States in the Dominion of Canada, Newfoundland, the Republic of Cuba, the Republic of Mexico, countries of Central or South America, or adjacent islands: or
(8)aliens under the age of eighteen who are children of citizensMinor children of residents. of the United States.
(b)For the purposes of this Act nationality shall be determinedCountry of birth to determine nationality. by country of birth, treating as separate countries the colonies or dependencies for which separate enumeration was made in the United States census of 1910.
(c)The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, and theStatement of various nationalities of residents in 1910, to be prepared. Secretary of Labor, jointly, shall, as soon as feasible after the enactment of this Act, prepare a statement showing the number of persons of the various nationalities resident in the United States as determined by the United States census of 1910, which statement shall be the population basis for the purposes of this Act. In case of changesEstimate for newly created countries, or transferred, territories. in political boundaries in foreign countries occurring subsequent to 1910 and resulting
(1)in the creation of new countries, the Governments of which are recognized by the United States, or
(2)in the transfer of territory from one country to another, such transfer being recognized by the United States, such officials, jointly, shall estimate the number of persons resident in the United States in 1910 who were 6born within the area included in such new countries or in such territory so transferred, and revise the population basis as to each country Place of birth to be considered therefrom.involved in such change of political boundary. For the purpose of such revision and for the purposes of this Act generally aliens born in the area included in any such new country shall be considered as having been born in such country, and aliens born in any territory so transferred shall be considered as having been born in the country to which such territory was transferred.
(d)Exclusion of others after maximum of nationality admitted. When the maximum number of aliens of any nationality who may be admitted in any fiscal year under this Act shall have been admitted all other aliens of such nationality, except as otherwise provided in this Act, who may apply for admission during the same *Provisos*. Monthly limitation of admission.fiscal year shall be excluded: *Provided*, That the number of aliens of any nationality who may be admitted in any month shall not exceed 20 per centum of the total number of aliens of such nationality Classes excepted notwithstanding maximum of nationality have been admitted.who are admissible in that fiscal year: *Provided further*, That aliens returning from a temporary visit abroad, aliens who are professional actors, artists, lecturers, singers, nurses, ministers of any religious denomination, professors for colleges or seminaries, aliens belonging to any recognized learned profession, or aliens employed as domestic servants, may, if otherwise admissible, be admitted notwithstanding the maximum number of aliens of the same nationality admissible in the same month or fiscal year, as the case may be, shall have entered To be counted in percentage limits.the United States; but aliens of the classes included in this proviso who enter the United States before such maximum number shall have entered shall (unless excluded by subdivision
(a)from being counted) be counted in reckoning the percentage limits provided in this Act: Preference to families, etc., of citizens.*Provided further*, That in the enforcement of this Act preference shall be given so far as possible to the wives, parents, brothers, sisters, Of applicants for citizenship.children under eighteen years of age, and fiancées,
(1)of citizens of the United States,
(2)of aliens now in the United States who have Persons eligible by war service to be naturalized. Vol. 41, p. 222.applied for citizenship in the manner provided by law, or
(3)of persons eligible to United States citizenship who served in the military or naval forces of the United States at any time between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, both dates inclusive, and have been separated from such forces under honorable conditions. Sec. 3. Rules, etc., to be prescribed. That the Commissioner General of Immigration, with the approval of the Secretary of Labor, shall, as soon as feasible after the enactment of this Act, and from time to time thereafter, prescribe rules and regulations necessary to carry the provisions of this Act Statement of number of admissibles to be published.into effect. He shall, as soon as feasible after the enactment of this Act, publish a statement showing the number of aliens of the various nationalities who may be admitted to the United States between the date this Act becomes effective and the end of the current fiscal year, For ensuing year.and on June 30 thereafter he shall publish a statement showing the number of aliens of the various nationalities who may be admitted Monthly statements of admission, etc.during the ensuing fiscal year. He shall also publish monthly statements during the time this Act remains in force showing the number of aliens of each nationality already admitted during the then current fiscal year and the number who may be admitted under the provisions, Weekly statements when 75 per cent of maximum have been admitted.of this Act during the remainder of such year, but when 75 per centum of the maximum number of any nationality admissible during the fiscal year shall have been admitted such statements shall be issued Dissemination of statements.weekly thereafter. All statements shall be made available for general publication and shall be mailed to all transportation companies bringing aliens to the United States who shall request the same and shall file with the Department of Labor the address to which such Transmittal to American representatives abroad.statements shall be sent. The Secretary of Labor shall also submit such statements to the Secretary of State, who shall transmit the informa-7tion contained therein to the proper diplomatic and consular officials of the United States, which officials shall make the same available to persons intending to emigrate to the United States and to others who may apply. Sec. 4. That the provisions of this Act are in addition to and notProvisions additional to immigration laws. in substitution for the provisions of the immigration laws. Sec. 5. That this Act shall take effect and be enforced 15 days afterEffective dates. In force until June 30, 1922. its enactment (except sections 1 and 3 and subdivisions
(b)and
(c)of section 2, which shall take effect immediately upon the enactment of this Act), and shall continue in force until June 30, 1922, and theAdmission allowed to June 30, 1921. *Post*, pp. 540, 1065. number of aliens of any nationality who may be admitted during the remaining period of the current fiscal year, from the date when this Act becomes effective to June 30, shall be limited in proportion to the number admissible during the fiscal year 1922. Approved, May 19, 1921.