Before and after the 1990 Immigration Act
1990: One income bought a home.
2026: Two incomes barely cover rent.
What happened?
The 1990 Act doubled immigration. It never stopped.
A Wave of Mass Immigration
Annual immigration and foreign-born population since 1950. The Immigration Act of 1990 triggered unprecedented growth.
Legal Entries (Annual)
Illegal Entries (Annual)
Foreign-Born Population (millions)
Foreign-born residents added since the 1990 Immigration Act
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; DHS Yearbook; CIS
The Impact on American Life
Mass immigration doesn't just change demographics-it transforms the economy, housing, and opportunity for everyone.
15.6% of total population-now exceeding the 1890 peak of 14.8% during the first great wave1
From 3.5x income in 1990 to 5.6x in 2024-homes now cost 60% more relative to wages than before the 1990 Immigration Act4
Median rent rose from $600 to $1,837 monthly while wages stagnated-demand outpacing supply5
Mission
Comprehensive immigration reform that restores America's sovereignty and ensures successful integration.
Reduce Immigration
Transition from mass immigration to sustainable levels that enable genuine integration-economic mobility through fair wages and social belonging within American communities.
Prioritize Compatibility
Focus on immigrants who can assimilate successfully, along with those possessing hyper-specialized skills critical to national interests.
Restore Balance
Significantly reduce immigration to tighten labor markets and allow wages to rise naturally-as they did during the mid-20th century when America last prioritized its workers.
We've Been Here Before
America faced the same crisis 100 years ago. We solved it then. We can solve it again.
The First Wave (1890-1924)
Problems: Overcrowded tenements, housing crises, wage suppression, strained public services, social tensions
The Second Wave (1990-Present)
Problems: Housing unaffordable, wage stagnation, overcrowded schools, strained infrastructure, social fragmentation
How America Solved It Before
The Immigration Acts of 1917 and 1924 cut annual immigration from 1.3 million (1907) to ~250,000 (1950s average). Immigration stayed low for over 40 years.
Immigration Restriction
The 1924 Act dramatically reduced immigration levels, giving existing immigrant communities time to integrate without continuous new arrivals overwhelming the assimilation process.
Time to Assimilate
With a 40-year pause, immigrants learned English, adopted American customs, and their children became fully American. By 1970, the various European groups had merged into a common American identity.
The Result
The descendants of the first wave-Irish, Italian, Polish, Jewish-are now fully integrated Americans. The restriction worked. The assimilation succeeded.
We need the same approach today.
The Three Pillars of Assimilation
Understanding successful immigration requires examining three fundamental dimensions that shape integration outcomes
Religion
Shared religious values, traditions, and moral frameworks create common ground for social cohesion and mutual understanding.
The United States is historically and culturally a Christian country, with a Catholic influence that dates back to the 1800s.
Ethnicity
Common ethnic backgrounds, ancestral heritage, and genetic similarity facilitate natural cultural transmission across generations.
Europeans serve as the bedrock of American identity, with Hispanics representing a large and influential immigrant group.
Culture
The most complex pillar.
Language, social norms, family structures, and civic values shape daily life and long-term integration.
Successful immigrants fill jobs, build businesses, and assimilate into the general population seamlessly-adapting to American culture rather than requiring America to change for them.
Why This Matters
Countries with the most successful immigration outcomes tend to receive immigrants who score highly across all three pillars. When there is significant alignment in religion, ethnicity, and culture, integration happens naturally across generations.
Conversely, large gaps in any pillar-especially culture-create persistent integration challenges that can span multiple generations, affecting social cohesion, economic outcomes, and national identity.
Explore Our Research
Read our in-depth articles and analysis on immigration policy, cultural integration, and comparative international perspectives.
Read Our ArticlesSources
1 U.S. Census Bureau, "Foreign-Born Population in the United States," American Community Survey (2024)
2 Department of Homeland Security, "Yearbook of Immigration Statistics" (2023); Migration Policy Institute analysis
3 U.S. Department of Labor, "Annual Report of the Commissioner General of Immigration" (1907-1930); Immigration Acts of 1917 and 1924; Historical Statistics of the United States
4 Visual Capitalist, "American Income vs. Home Prices (1985-2025)"; LongtermTrends.net, "Home Price to Income Ratio"
5 iPropertyManagement, "Average Rent by Year (1940-2025)"; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey