Geary Act

The Geary Act ( German: Geary Act) is a United States federal law from 1892, which intensified and prolonged the validity of the provisions of the Chinese Exclusion Act for 10 years. The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1880 by the U.S. Congress to repeal the Chinese immigration to the United States.

History and Policy

The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed against the backdrop of a massive anti-Chinese sentiment, which was worn in the second half of the 19th century by broad sections of the American population. The initiative to extend its validity came from Thomas J. Geary (1854-1929), a congressman from California and a member of the Democratic Party.

About the extension of the validity, the Geary Act wrote the introduction of identity cards for foreigners all Chinese living in the U.S. before. If this card is not applied and constantly carried, this could be punished by deportation or one year in prison with hard labor. In the U.S., where the free movement of citizens is traditionally taken so high that identity cards and registration offices are there unknown to this day, this was a novelty. Furthermore, certain of the Geary Act, that the Chinese nationwide could neither apply as witnesses in court occur even in habeas corpus procedure bail. Your ability to pay legal claims of any kind in court were, thereby dramatically impaired.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law, which had not been recognized by the Chinese government and challenged by many Chinese immigrants in the year 1893. 1902 its validity was extended indefinitely.

The Magnuson Act of the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in 1943. The immigration of Chinese applicants was re-admitted, fell as a result of the general immigration laws of 1921 and 1924, however, under a quota system, under whose application per year is not more than 105 Chinese immigrants were allowed to enter. Only with the Immigration and Nationality Services Act of 1965, the quotas were lifted, so again could entail significant numbers of Chinese immigrants into the country.