The Displaced Persons Act of 1948

The first major U.S. refugee law, written for the survivors of World War II.

The law

President Harry S. Truman signed the Displaced Persons Act in June 1948, while criticizing its restrictions. It was amended in 1950 to remove some of them. Together, the laws admitted roughly 400,000 displaced persons from Europe.

Who came

The displaced persons included Holocaust survivors, people from the Baltic states, Ukrainians, Poles, and others who could not return home. Admission required a sponsor in the United States who would guarantee housing and a job.

Connected stories

Ints Siliņš and Alexander Akalovsky came in 1949. See also Displaced Persons Camps.