IndyBar: Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Indiana Hold Event Exploring the Impact of 1965 Immigration Act

By Rachana Fischer, Attorney at Law

In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Indiana (APABA-IN) hosted an event on May 7, 2025, titled “The Changing Face of America: The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.”

Held at the federal courthouse, the program explored the profound and lasting impact of the 1965 legislation in the sixty years following its enactment. Through presentations and a panel discussion, Professor Ellen Wu of Indiana University, Professor Melissa Borja of the University of Michigan, and Judge Lakshmi Reddy of the Vigo Superior Court discussed the impact of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 from historical, legal, and personal perspectives. The Hon. James P. Hanlon made welcoming remarks, and APABA-IN President Rachana Fischer moderated the discussion.

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 fundamentally reshaped America’s immigration system sixty years ago to open doors for immigrants from Asia who were previously excluded under quotas that restricted immigration based on national origins to prioritize immigrants from Western Europe. At the time of signing, three countries supplied 70% of the immigrants to the United States.

Following the changes wrought by World War II and the Cold War and influenced by the Civil Rights Act, which was passed a year earlier, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act on October 3, 1965, at the base of the Statue of Liberty. The Act did away with the national origins restrictions and treated countries equally for purposes of immigration. The Act prioritized immigration for those who had skillsets that would boost the U.S. economy or who already had family members in the United States.

Upon signing the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, President Johnson remarked that the national origins system, “violated the basic principle of American democracy–the principle that values and rewards each man on the basis of his merit as a man” and that going forward, “those who do come will come because of what they are, and not because of the land from which they sprung.” But he also remarked that the Immigration and Nationality Act “is not a revolutionary bill. It does not affect the lives of millions.”

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 did affect the lives of millions. As Professors Wu and Borja explained, the primary advocates for changing the national origins quota system were members of the Catholic and Jewish communities who wanted to allow immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, which was restricted under the existing law. But the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 also dramatically increased the number of immigrants from Asia and other parts of the globe and shifted the demographics of the United States. For example, while in 1960, Asian Americans made up less than 1% of the United States population, as of 2020, they made up 7%.

Judge Lakshmi Reddy shared her family’s experiences immigrating to the United States shortly after the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. While there were some adjustments as her family settled into their new home in Alabama, she stated that she was an example of the American dream and that she and her family were able to thrive and succeed in the United States.

In honor of the event, APABA-IN announced a $1,000 donation to Exodus Refugee, an organization that helps to welcome and resettle refugees in Indiana.•

Rachana N. Fischer is an Attorney at Law and currently serves as President of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Indiana. She is an active IndyBar member, currently serving on the board of directors. For more information about the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Indiana, please visit apaba-in.org. For more information about Exodus Refugee, please visit exodusrefugee.org.