Definitions for "Immigration and Nationality Act"
The primary statute relating to the immigration, temporary admission, removal, and naturalization of aliens. It is usually interpreted in conjunction with other laws, treaties, and conventions of the U.S. and with federal court decisions. The Act is found in Section 8 of the United States Code. Congress passed the I.N.A. in 1952 and has amended several times since, including in 1965, 1980, 1986, 1990, and 1996.
(INA): This Act of October 3, 1965 abolished national origin and race as criteria restricting for immigration to the United States, and replaced this national origins quota system with a first-come, first served basis, with preference for relatives of U.S. citizens and for people with special occupational skills needed in the U.S. It also established the category of immediate relatives as numerically unrestricted.
US law originally promulgated in 1952. Commonly abbreviated as "INA," it underwent several conceptual changes in later decades. Originally, the INA admitted only a certain number of immigrants of each nationality, but changes passed by Congress in 1965 gave preference to immigrants with skills needed in the United States and to close relatives of US citizens.