Legal Definitions - Chinese Exclusion Act

The Chinese Exclusion Act was a law passed by the United States Congress in 1882 that prohibited Chinese people from immigrating to the United States and becoming citizens. The law was in effect for ten years and had a significant impact on Chinese immigrants and their families.

• Chinese people who were already living in the United States were not allowed to become citizens, even if they had been living in the country for many years.
• Chinese people who left the United States for any reason, such as to visit family or for business, were not allowed to return.
• Chinese people who were already in the United States were often subject todiscrimination and violence because of their race and nationality.

These examples illustrate how the Chinese Exclusion Act was a discriminatory law that targeted Chinese people and prevented them from fully participating in American society. The law had a lasting impact on Chinese immigrants and their families, and its effects were felt for many years after it was repealed.