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by Tondoteottotote on April 4th, 2007

Tondoteottotote

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On Ellis Island, how did immigration inspectors know if an immigrant had a criminal record?

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  • by vinc3nt on April 5th, 2007

    vinc3nt

    1875, the first federal legislation banning persons convicted of "crimes involving moral turpitude" and prostitutes (a provision aimed at barring Chinese women from entry). During the 1880s the excludable classes grew to include the mentally retarded, contract laborers, persons with "dangerous and loathsome contagious disease," paupers, polygamists, and the "feebleminded" and "insane," as well as Chinese laborers determined by medical exams and interviews.

    There was no easy way to identify criminals other than subsequent discovery, after being imprisoned. 1891, Congress authorized the deportation of aliens who within one year of arrival became public charges from causes existing prior to landing, at the expense of the steamship company that originally brought them.

    Condensed from this site.
    http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/lhr/21.1/ngai.html

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