Chinese Exclusion Act

Chinese Exclusion Act. The Chinese Exclusion Act was a landmark legislation signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur on May 6, 1882, following the Treaty of Burlingame and the Angell Treaty, which restricted Chinese immigration to the United States. This act was the result of increasing Sinophobia and nativism in the American West, fueled by the California Gold Rush and the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad by Central Pacific and Union Pacific. The act was influenced by the Geary Act and the Scott Act, and was supported by Dennis Kearney and the Workingmen's Party of California.

● Introduction

The Chinese Exclusion Act was a significant piece of legislation that marked a turning point in the history of United States immigration law, following the Page Act of 1875 and preceding the Immigration Act of 1917. It was influenced by the Treaty of Wanghia and the Treaty of Tientsin, and was a response to the growing number of Chinese Americans in the United States, particularly in California and other western states. The act was also influenced by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1875, and was opposed by Frederick Douglass and other African American leaders. The Chinese Exclusion Act was a major departure from the United States' traditional policy of open immigration, as established by the Homestead Act and the Morrill Tariff, and was influenced by the Know Nothing movement and the American Protective Association.

● History

The Chinese Exclusion Act was the result of a long history of Sinophobia and nativism in the United States, dating back to the California Gold Rush and the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad by Central Pacific and Union Pacific. The act was influenced by the Treaty of Burlingame and the Angell Treaty, which allowed for unrestricted Chinese immigration to the United States. However, as the number of Chinese Americans grew, so did opposition to their presence, fueled by the Workingmen's Party of California and the Dennis Kearney movement. The Chinese Exclusion Act was also influenced by the Rock Springs massacre and the Tacoma riot of 1885, and was supported by Benjamin Harrison and other Republican leaders. The act was opposed by Grover Cleveland and other Democratic leaders, as well as by Carl Schurz and other Liberal Republicans.

● Provisions

The Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers to the United States for a period of ten years, and denied naturalization to Chinese Americans who were already in the country. The act also required Chinese Americans to register with the United States government and to obtain a certificate of registration, which was influenced by the Alien Registration Act of 1940. The act was enforced by the United States Department of Justice and the United States Department of State, and was influenced by the INS. The Chinese Exclusion Act also provided for the deportation of Chinese Americans who were found to be in the country illegally, and was influenced by the Deportation Act of 1892 and the Immigration Act of 1907. The act was amended by the Geary Act and the Scott Act, and was influenced by the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the Immigration Act of 1924.

● Impact

The Chinese Exclusion Act had a significant impact on the Chinese American community, leading to a decline in the number of Chinese Americans in the United States. The act also led to the growth of Chinatowns in cities such as San Francisco and New York City, as Chinese Americans were forced to live in segregated communities. The act was also influenced by the Japanese American internment during World War II, and was opposed by Franklin D. Roosevelt and other Democratic leaders. The Chinese Exclusion Act was also influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and the Asian American movement, and was supported by Martin Luther King Jr. and other African American leaders. The act was also influenced by the United States v. Wong Kim Ark and the Tape v. Hurley court cases, and was opposed by Thurgood Marshall and other NAACP leaders.

● Repeal

The Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in 1943, during World War II, as part of the Magnuson Act, which allowed for a limited number of Chinese immigrants to enter the United States each year. The repeal of the act was influenced by the China Lobby and the Madame Chiang Kai-shek movement, and was supported by Franklin D. Roosevelt and other Democratic leaders. The Magnuson Act also provided for the naturalization of Chinese Americans who were already in the country, and was influenced by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. The repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act marked a significant shift in the United States' immigration policy, and paved the way for the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which abolished the National Origins Formula and established a more inclusive immigration policy.

● Legacy

The Chinese Exclusion Act has had a lasting impact on the United States and its immigration policy, and is considered one of the most significant pieces of legislation in the history of United States immigration law. The act has been the subject of numerous court cases, including United States v. Wong Kim Ark and Tape v. Hurley, and has been influenced by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1875. The Chinese Exclusion Act has also been the subject of numerous books and articles, including The Chinese in America: A Narrative History by Iris Chang and The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika Lee. The act is remembered as a symbol of Sinophobia and nativism in the United States, and serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting the rights of Asian Americans and other minority groups. The Chinese Exclusion Act is also remembered as a significant event in the history of California and the American West, and is commemorated by the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles and the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience in Seattle. Category:United States immigration law