US immigration reform: The Hart-Celler Act and the Greek diaspora

On October 3, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Hart-Celler Act at the base of the Statue of Liberty, marking a major reform in United States immigration policy. The law abolished the national origins quota system that had been in place since the 1920s, which had historically favored earlier immigrant populations and restricted those from Southern and Eastern Europe, including Greece, as well as excluding many from Asia.

The reform shifted immigration priorities toward family reunification and professional qualifications. This change had significant implications for the Greek diaspora, as the previous restrictive system often caused long waiting periods and separated families across the Atlantic.