Changes in views about the merit of Chinese and Chinese American labor in the West, along with strident anti-Asian prejudice, led Congress to restrict Chinese immigration to the United States in 1882. In this 1943 letter to Congress, W. Arthur Faus expressed his support for repeal of all Asian exclusion laws, not because of wartime relationships, but because they were “unjust and insulting.”
Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, National Archives and Records Administration
Our Oriental exclusion laws have been a shameful blot on our nation’s record for years. They have been a continuous insult to the Chinese . . . . They say to these people . . . that we Americans do not consider them fit to become a part of our American community
Letter from W. Arthur Faus to Representative Samuel Dickstein of New York, June 14, 1943
Asian American Policy during World War II
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. It required the forced relocation and internment of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans, most of whom were native-born American citizens. Congress appropriated funds for its implementation and provided penalties for its violation. In contrast, Congress approved legislation in 1943 to shore up relations with China, a key ally, and lifted restrictions on Chinese immigration to the United States for the first time since 1882.
We recommend the immediate evacuation of all persons of Japanese lineage . . . whose presence shall be deemed dangerous or inimical to the defense of the United States
Representative Clarence F. Lea of California, Recommendations of the Pacific Coast Subcommittee on Alien Enemies and Sabotage, February 13, 1942
Changes in views about the merit of Chinese and Chinese American labor in the West, along with strident anti-Asian prejudice, led Congress to restrict Chinese immigration to the United States in 1882. In this 1943 letter to Congress, W. Arthur Faus expressed his support for repeal of all Asian exclusion laws, not because of wartime relationships, but because they were “unjust and insulting.”
Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, National Archives and Records Administration
Our Oriental exclusion laws have been a shameful blot on our nation’s record for years. They have been a continuous insult to the Chinese . . . . They say to these people . . . that we Americans do not consider them fit to become a part of our American community
