Immigration

Immigration station reminds me somewhat of a jail. They had high fences and barbed wire all around the building. Gold was discovered in 1848. Competition increased  for jobs and “Americans”  Europeans believed America should only belong to whites. did not like this competition, so they started to plot against the immigrants particularly the Chinese.  China Exclusion Act 1882.aimed to prevent Chinese immigrant labors from entering the United States. First in  a series of laws to limit immigrants from the United States. (5mins). Angel Island stayed there for several days, weeks, or years. Chinese immigrants had to go through grueling interrogation. (6) Chinese Immigrants at the immigration station were subjected to sickness, denied lawyers and kept away from their loves ones.

        The Chinese Exclusion Act and the Angel Island immigration experience personally affected Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans in a drastic way. Angel Island was similar in resemblance to a prison with its high gates and barbed wires. Since many European laborers felt threatened by the Chinese, and believed America should be all white The China Exclusion Act of 1882 came into place.  The Europeans felt threatened by the Chinese Laborers because they were hard working, and when Gold was discovered in San Francisco in 1848 there were a great influx of immigrants especially the Chinese. This created a lot of competition for employment. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was created to prevent Chinese immigrant laborers from entering the United States.

        Angel Island was supposed to be a safe haven for immigrants entering the United States. After days of travel the final excitement to final reach The United States, but that was not the case. Immigrants were kept on this island for days, weeks, months and even years. A young immigrant Chinese man whose father was Chinese American still had to enter Angel Island despite his father’s status. He remained on the Island for 31/2 months without his father being interrogated regularly before finally being turned free to further enter The United States.

        Immigrants on Angel Island went through grueling interrogations regularly.  Many became depressed being imprisoned on the island for long periods, and being kept away from family, and love ones. The immigrants were denied lawyers.  Some immigrants even caught various illnesses such as small pox.

        A woman by the name of Quok Shee married a Chinese immigrant Chew Hoy Quong but even though he himself was an immigrant he lived in the United States for 30 years. When he migrated to The United States he found employment in his uncles store when his uncle died then he inherited the business. He ended up loosing his business in 1906 due to earthquake and fire. He then started working for Chinatown firm. Since he was a legit business owner he was able to apply for immigration service form 431 which allowed him to leave The United States and reenter. Quong was approved to do so, so he decided to leave for Hong Kong to find a wife.