(06-09-2018, 02:34 PM)mikesez Wrote:

(06-08-2018, 07:56 PM)JagNGeorgia Wrote: The Alien Friends Act, passed in 1790, allowed the President to deport anyone considered "dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States".

Apples and oranges.  Before about 1920, you could come and work.  The act you cite gave the President authority to deport people only if they had done something specifically wrong.  It did not say no one from certain places was welcome.  It did not say that only X number of people can come.  Those things didn't start until the 1920s.

Actually he is partially correct. 1790 offered the first time exclusion occured based on race. You weren’t getting in if you were Asian unless brought over illegally to help with western expansion. You couldn’t become a citizen if you were black, Asian, American Indian or even an indentured servant (regardless of race). In the 1920s additional limitation for all nationalities were implemented based on some origins quota formula and whether you were considered an enemy to the U.S. There were several lesser know laws inbetween that allowed for deportation for criminal acts, whether they were undesirable, and other crazy rationale.

---