What was the Asian Exclusion Act?
The Asian Exclusion Act was passed in 1924 as part of the Immigration Act of 1924. It is an example of race specific legislation in the United States, designed to restrict freedom of movement to people on the basis of their race and national origin. Historians have heavily criticized the Asian Exclusion Act, which was not repealed until 1943, with the Magnuson Act, which instituted quotas for immigrants from around the world. In 1965, the Immigration Act passed the House and the Senate by a large margin, and abolished quotas for immigrants based on national origin. The roots of the Asian Exclusion Act lie in the Chinese Exclusion Act, passed in 1882. The Chinese Exclusion Act prevented all Chinese immigration specifically, and it was renewed in 1892 after it expired. In 1902, the Chinese Exclusion act was renewed again, this time for an indefinite period. Both pieces of legislation were passed in response to the idea that Asian immigrants posed a threat to American society. Along the W
