50th Anniversary of the INA
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For a large part of U.S. history, immigration policies were largely based on a preferential system focusing on race and national origin. Visa quotas excluded individuals from African or Asian countries, as well as from many places of origin in eastern Europe. Lawful entry and presence was instead regularly granted to white individuals and families from Northwestern European countries, which kept the demographics of America fairly steady. However, with the civil rights movement in the 1960s, many people advocated for an overall end to widespread discrimination and racism–and that included immigration policies.
In 1965, after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act, Congress voted the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) into law. This law significantly changed the immigration policies of the United States and aimed to open the doors for immigrants not based on race or country of origin, but instead on other important factors. Some of these factors included family ties to the U.S. and professional or educational aspirations. The Act also permitted U.S. businesses to employ foreign workers if needed to fill certain jobs for which suitable applicants were not available in the United States, so long as the Department of Labor certifies that the labor is necessary. Such labor certification is still one of the most common ways of obtaining a visa to come and work in the U.S.
Long-lasting Effects of INA
In 1965 when the INA was enacted, about 87 percent of individuals coming into the United States were white Europeans. In 2010, an estimated 90 percent of immigrants originated from countries outside of Europe. In addition, 85 percent of the American population in 1965 was white and, now, estimates indicate that white non-Hispanic individuals will no longer be the majority in the United States by the 2040s.
While the INA did much to diversify the population of the United States, the Act is not perfect. There were and remain flaws regarding the treatment of immigrants from neighboring countries versus the treatment of immigrants from far removed countries. As many of these flaws still exist, many people believe we may be on the brink of the next great immigration reform that will hopefully further improve immigration policies and focus on a path to lawful residency and citizenship.
Find Out How Our Chicago Immigration Attorneys Can Assist You
In recent times, there are many different ways for individuals to come into the U.S. to live, work, and be with their families. The laws provide immigrants with many rights and provide opportunities for children of immigrant families to receive the same education and training as children born in the U.S. If you are thinking about coming to live in the United States, if you would like to discuss your current immigration status options, if you would like to sponsor a family member, or if you have any other type of immigration matter please call the experienced Chicago immigration lawyers at Kriezelman, Burton & Associates, LLC at 312-332-2550 today.
Lo que dicen nuestras clientas
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Great service and attention. Felt safe and confident since the first meeting. Couldn't be happier with the results and services. I had the pleasure of working with attorney Andrea Ochoa and it was a great experience would absolutely reccomend her services
Our experience with the firm was extraordinary. We worked with attorney Andrea Ochoa. Since the very first meeting we met, Andrea gave us all the confidence to proceed with our case. She always answered our questions shortly and offered clear guidelines to proceed. When my son's case received a notice of intent to deny, she planned how to fight that decision effectively. We totally recommend everyone to trust their case…
I just want to say huge thank you to Mr. Kevin A. Raica. for everything he has done for me throughout my immigration case. When I first came to Kevin, he explained the SIJS process clearly and walked me through the steps. We first needed to get the guardianship court order before moving forward with the I-360, and he connected me with a trusted attorney to help with that part.…
I cannot find the words to express my gratitude to Brittni Rivera! She literally saved my family. We had been waiting seven years for what she accomplished in just three weeks. I was impressed by how accessible the office is—they always answer calls very quickly. A special thank you to paralegal Nataliia Melnyk. You are my heroes. Thank you.
Thank you all, I found this group to be a great service. Thank you all, blessings to you. especially Khiabett
We are incredibly grateful for the help and support we received from this office. From the very beginning, they understood the urgency of our situation and treated our case with real care, professionalism, and speed. They were extremely responsive, clear, and compassionate throughout the entire process. They moved quickly when timing was critical, kept us informed, and helped us navigate a very stressful immigration situation with confidence. Thanks to their…
Kevin Raica and his team handled my immigration application and i can other recommend them enough. They made a stressful process very easy. They are very knowledgeable in this area and helped us at every stage from beginning to end.
Brittni Rivera She is my Attorney from 2017 Thank you so, so much. This truly wouldn’t have been possible without you, Brittni. Can’t wait to file for the green cards.
We hoped and prayed for this day, not knowing if it would ever come. Deportations are incredibly scary and overwhelming. We wanted to give a very special thank you to Jennifer Peyton of Chicago for securing this victory for us! With Jennifer on our side we were able to get our loved one back. On behalf of our family, thank you. When we started this journey, we had hoped and…
Matthew Kriezelman, first of all, thank you very much; you and your team are the best immigration lawyers in Chicago. I had a great experience—your professionalism was outstanding, and you were always there whenever needed. I give you five stars for the wonderful work you and your team did. Thanks again.
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