American Jewry, the Refugees and Immigration Restriction (1932–1942)*

The Jews of America had benefitted greatly from the American tradition as “the asylum of the oppressed of all nations.” The larger part — or their parents — had migrated from Eastern Europe after 1880. Like others of recent origin, they had resented and strongly objected to efforts to restrict immigration. In vain they had opposed the literacy clause of the Act of 1917 and the national origins system of the Act of 1924. ¹ Immigrants had built the United States. To limit the inflow, particularly on the basis of false racist doctrine, ran counter to fundamental American principles.