How Did the Chinese Exclusion Act Affect Chinese Immigrants?

During the 19th century, Chinese immigrants came to the United States to seek economic opportunities. They aided in the construction of railroads and worked as a low-cost labor force.

However, they encountered xenophobia (dislike of or prejudice toward people from other countries). This anti-Chinese movement became a driving force in the West Coast and spread to the rest of the nation.

Chinese Exclusion Act

In the years following the Gold Rush, labor unions and other West Coast residents became increasingly concerned that Chinese manual laborers were a source of competition for jobs. In turn, these groups developed negative stereotypes of Chinese immigrants as diseased heathens and perverts.

In response, anti-Chinese sentiment spread rapidly and spawned political and social movements. Several states, like Wyoming and Idaho, began to enact laws restricting the movement of Chinese people.

This prompted the federal government to take action, and Congress passed a series of discriminatory measures designed to exclude Chinese workers from entering the United States. These included the Chinese Exclusion Act, which President Chester Arthur signed into law on May 6, 1882.

The Chinese Exclusion Act, along with the Scott Act (1888) and the Geary Act (1892), severely restricted and limited Chinese immigration to the United States for a period of ten years. These measures also required all Chinese who were lawfully in the country to carry special documentation–certificates of residence–that allowed them to enter and reenter the United States.

While these laws limited and reshaped the way Americans considered Chinese people, they were not without their critics. In addition to a close and contentious presidential election, anti-immigrant sentiment was also fueled by economic anxiety, particularly among white Americans.

Despite this, many Chinese immigrants fought back against the anti-Chinese movement. They did this by using legal challenges, political lobbying, and community organizing.

They were helped in their fights against unfair laws by Frederick Bee, a California businessman and attorney who represented the interests of Chinese-Americans in the courts.

Visitors to this site will encounter a number of historical documents and artifacts that capture the anguish created by exclusion. They will learn about the impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act on a variety of communities, including labor unions and Chinatowns.

As a result of these policies, Chinese-Americans were often prevented from becoming citizens, which meant they had to rely on their own resources and skills for survival. They also had to be extremely careful about how they acted and spoke in public.

Geary Act

When Congress enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, it began a long period of restrictions on chinese immigrants. These restrictions, in turn, affected the lives of tens of thousands of chinese in the United States.

The act triggered widespread reaction against Chinese immigration and, in many cases, severed families. It also led to a rise in xenophobia.

Anti-Chinese sentiment was rooted in a combination of domestic attitudes, politics, and economic factors. It also posed challenges to American presidents and Congressmen who had to balance these factors with their international obligations and treaty commitments.

In response to the influx of laborers from China, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. It made it illegal to enter the United States unless authorized by the Chinese government, and placed new requirements on those already here.

To prove their immigration status, Chinese were required to register and carry residency certificates. Those who failed to do so were subject to deportation. In addition, Chinese could not testify in court or be granted bail in habeas corpus proceedings.

Despite these strict restrictions, Chinese were still able to work in the United States. They had the ability to earn a good living, but they faced high levels of competition from white workers who demanded higher wages.

The labor competition caused Chinese families to separate, with little hope of reuniting. The resulting poverty and violence created an environment that would lead to the rise of a racist and eugenic culture in the U.S.

Although the Chinese Exclusion Act was the first significant law that targeted a specific ethnic group, it was only one of several laws that aimed to restrict chinese immigration. The other laws included the Scott Act of 1888, which restricted reentry to the United States from China, and the Geary Act of 1892, which imposed new requirements on those already in the country.

By the time of the passage of the Immigration Act of 1924, Congress had broadened its approach to immigration restrictions. The act incorporated quotas and requirements based on national origin, and it made it easier for the government to impose quotas on immigrants from a wider range of countries than those of the past.

Paper Sons

In a time of political conflict and economic anxiety, American presidents and Congressmen found themselves at a tense juncture. While balancing domestic factors with international concerns, they enacted anti-Chinese policies that would drastically alter the nation’s immigration laws and reorder national identity.

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, passed in response to domestic fears and a growing anti-immigrant sentiment, effectively excluded most Chinese immigrants from the United States. While many Chinese residents could still enter the country as long as they possessed legal documents, others were excluded from citizenship and were not able to return home.

This created a dilemma for immigration officials who were tasked with determining whether someone was legally Chinese or not. The exclusion laws also required people to prove their identities before they were allowed entry into the United States, a task that was particularly difficult for those who were not “native born” and were not able to prove their family history in China.

Despite these difficulties, Chinese immigrants did not give up and sought ways to evade the exclusion laws. One method was to purchase fraudulent documentation identifying them as being a “native born” citizen or as having children in China.

Another option was to obtain false paperwork from a paper father who already had children in the United States and claimed to be a citizen or legal resident. This practice became known as the paper son scheme and allowed thousands of Chinese to gain entrance into the United States without a valid passport or visa.

Some papers were purchased through professional brokers who worked on behalf of a family. Other papers were sold through established community networks.

While most paper sons were unable to reunite with their families in the United States, some were successful. For instance, my grandfather, Stanley Hom Lau, immigrated to the United States as a paper son and he eventually made a successful life for himself and his wife.

He was able to establish a strong life in the United States as a strong and independent man. He never forgot his roots or the love of his family and he did not lose his sense of pride in his achievements. He also never lost his belief in the American Dream and did not give up his pursuit of a better life for himself and his family.

Chinatowns

Chinatowns originated as a response to the Chinese Exclusion Act, which acted as a barrier against all Chinese immigrants. It was enacted in 1882 and remains the only restriction of immigration for any nationality in the United States.

After the exclusion law, many Chinese immigrants escaped to the cities, where they could find a safe place to live and work. They built Chinatowns to create safe spaces where they could practice their culture and live free from fear, as well as protect themselves from anti-Chinese racism.

These neighborhoods were also a way for Chinese Americans to form local associations that would provide them with housing, legal services, banking and more. These associations (tongs) grew in size and scope as they became an essential part of their communities.

By the time the era of gentrification arrived, most of these communities were populated by Asian families who lived in low-income tenements and had little money. But with a decline in the garment industry in the 1990s, some Chinatowns were transformed into pan-Asian business districts and residential neighborhoods.

Today, Chinatowns have become a tourist attraction, often catering to those seeking a taste of Chinese cuisine or a glimpse into Chinese culture. But they also serve a critical function, helping to unify Asian communities in the United States and providing a home for Chinese-Americans who have been forced to leave their own homes.

According to a 2014 report by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, these communities are now being pushed out of Chinatowns by gentrification. As a result, a growing number of Chinese American residents are moving into more expensive neighborhoods where they can find better jobs and more opportunities for their children.

However, as anti-Asian hate crimes continue to rise in the United States, the future of these communities may be in jeopardy. As such, organizations that are dedicated to preserving these communities are becoming more important, says Andrew Leong of the Chinese American Museum in New York.

Fortunately, many second and third generation Chinese Americans are now taking charge of projects that aim to preserve these historic neighborhoods. These nonprofits, such as the W.O.W Project in Manhattan’s Chinatown, can help protect the community from gentrification while still serving as a safe place for Chinese American families to raise their children.