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Chinese Exclusionary Act
This was a law signed by Chester A. Arthur to suspend immigration from China. It excluded skilled and unskilled Chinese and ones already working where threatened with deportation and imprisonment. Many Chinese were beaten relentlessly just because of their race. If a non-working Chinese wished to immigrate they must obtain certification from Chinese government saying that they were qualified to immigrate which was very difficult. It also caused discrimination toward other Asian races. -
Gentlemen's Agreement with Japan
The Gentlemen's Agreement with Japan was an informal meeting between Japan and the United States that stated that the U.S. would not impose restriction on Japanese immigration and Japan would not allow further emigration to the United States. The goal of this meeting was to reduce tensions between the United States and this Pacific Nation. Japan agreed to not issue passports to citizens wishing to move to the United States for work and U.S. would not discriminate existing Japanese. -
Literacy Tests
The federal government began to employ literacy tests as part as the immigration in 1917. Southern states began these laws at the beginning of the late nineteenth century. These tests were typically very difficult and proved almost impossible to pass with most of the immigrants being illiterate. Literary tests were forced to stop in the 1960's after the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
Immigration Act of 1924
The Immigration Act of 1924 or the Johnson-Reed Act limited the number of immigrants who could be admitted from any country to 2% of the number of people from that country that were already living in the United States in 1890, its purpose was to restrict Southern and Eastern Europeans. It prohibited the immigration of East Asians and Asian Indians. Congressional Opposition was minimal. The 1924 Act also established the consular control system of immigration. -
Immigration Act of 1929
The Immigration Act of 1929 stated that only 150,000 immigrants per year were allowed in to the U.S.A. There were to be no Asians at all. Northern and western Europeans were to be allocated 85% of all places. The intention of the nationality based quotas was to restrict the number of people from southern and eastern Europe, Japan and china. By 1930, immigration from these areas had virtually stopped. This law favored nationalities who had already established their selves in the United States. -
Immigration Act
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 replaced the immigration law of 1924. It was replaced with a preference system that focused on immigrant skills and family relationships with citizens. This bill is also called Hart-Cellar Act. It allowed more immigrants from third world countries to enter and a special quota for refugees. The significance of this bill was that future immigrants would be accepted into the country because of their skills and profession not for their countries origin.
