On May 6th 1882, President Chester A. Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion Act. A significant piece of US legislation, it marked the first time that the federal government prevented a specific ethnic group from immigrating to the country. Severely limiting immigration to the United States, the act was a response to growing anti-Chinese sentiment among American workers, who believed that Chinese workers had taken their jobs and were willing to work for lower wages. This prejudice originated in the mid-19th century during the California Gold Rush and the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. In both cases, Chinese immigrants often performed the most dangerous tasks while facing severe discrimination, segregation, and violence. Economic downturns in the 1870s increased resentment against Chinese workers, leading to calls for Congress to pass restrictive immigration laws.
Through this act, Congress suspended the immigration of Chinese laborers for 10 years and declared Chinese immigrants already in the United States ineligible to become naturalized citizens. The exclusion laws lead to a sharp decline in the Chinese population and fostered an environment of institutionalized racism and vocal anti-Chinese sentiment. In 1892, Congress renewed an expanded version that required Chinese people to register with the federal government and carry residency certificates. In 1902, Congress made the act permanent. The act remained unchanged until Congress passed the Magnuson Act in 1943. In the aftermath of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Congress wanted to recognize its wartime alliance with China in the Pacific Theatre. It repealed the Chinese Exclusion Acts and allowed for Chinese people to become naturalized citizens. Though Chinese residents continued to face prejudice, this new act made them eligible for naturalization and allowed a limited number of Chinese to immigrate to the United States.
