It was a United States federal law signed by President Chester A. Arthur on May 6, 1882. The act suspended Chinese immigration to the United States for ten years, and forbade all Chinese laborers already in the United States from obtaining citizenship.
It was the first law passed by the United States that explicitly restricted immigration based on race or nationality. This act was the primary means of enforcing the policy, and it was enforced by the United States Customs Service.
The act was extended for another ten years in 1892, and in 1902 it was made permanent. The law was not repealed until 1943, although the Chinese could begin naturalizing in 1943.
The passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act was influenced by a number of factors, including:
- Economic competition between Chinese and white workers.
- Anti-Chinese sentiment, including Sinophobia, which was common among white Americans at the time.
- Desire to protect the American way of life and culture.
The Chinese Exclusion Act had a profound impact on Chinese immigration to the United States. It stopped almost all Chinese immigration for decades. It also led to discrimination against Chinese people who were already in the United States. The act was finally repealed in 1943.
The Chinese Exclusion Act is a reminder of the dark side of American history. It is a reminder of the discrimination and racism that Chinese people have faced in the United States. It is also a reminder of the power of the law to affect people's lives.