The 1924 Immigration Act, also known as the Johnson-Reed Act, significantly restricted immigration to the United States by implementing a national origins quota system. This law aimed to limit the number of immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe, while favoring those from Northern and Western Europe, reflecting nativist sentiments prevalent at the time. The act effectively reduced overall immigration numbers and established discriminatory policies against certain ethnic groups. It signaled a shift toward more exclusionary immigration policies, influencing U.S. demographics and social fabric for decades, fostering divisions based on race and nationality that persisted well into the 20th century.