"The architects of the 1965 law did not see it as a means of significantly changing the immigration flow — it was considered more a symbolic act, an extension of civil rights sentiments beyond our borders. Proponents repeatedly denied that the law would lead to a huge and sustained increase in the number of newcomers and become a vehicle for globalizing immigration. Many senators and representatives believed that the new, equal quotas would not be fully used by European, Asian, and Middle Eastern nations.
The unexpected result has been one of the greatest waves of immigration in the nation's history." (Taken from the Center for Immigration Studies Website)
Another unexpected result has been a fundamental change in the cultural makeup of our society.