After World War I the rise of Nativism and racism led congress to establish quotas on immigration for the first time in order to keep immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe from coming into the United States. 

National Origins Quota Act was passed by Congress as a result of World War I. 

This law set the quota of legal immigrants to 3% of their current ethnic makeup in the United States. 

Asian immigrants were excluded altogether. 

The greatest number of immigrants admitted into the country during this time came from Great Britain, Ireland, and Germany. 

New Immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe were seen as a threat to the nation’s economy because of their lack of skills, education and language barriers. 

Other restrictions on immigration also resulted from the belief by many Americans that light skinned, blonde haired, blue eyed people were superior to other races.