ˈdälfən™🐬 💥 🌊2d ago

I'm watching a PBS documentary that describes in detail ~60 years in the late 1800s-early 1900s when those of Chinese origin were legally excluded from becoming American citizens...

omg the #racism & hatred were despicable.
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Note the court case in the image (see video in link below), which has particular relevance w/ #Trump 's attempt to revoke birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants 👀

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/chinese-exclusion-act/
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Exclusion_Act
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#USA #immigration #MyThoughts

Show threadˈdälfən™🐬 💥 🌊

2🧵

Here is a direct link to that video about the US v. Wong Kim Ark court case from 1898, which has particular relevance now with Trump's attempt to deny birthright citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/chinese-exclusion-act-united-states-v-wong-kim-ark/
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#USA #US #racism #trump #immigration #BirthrightCitizenship #14A #14thAmendnent #law

United States v. Wong Kim Ark | American Experience | PBS

In 1898, the Supreme Court ruled that Wong Kim Ark had acquired U.S. citizenship at birth.

Apr 5 at 1:32amWeb
Show threadˈdälfən™🐬 💥 🌊2d ago

3🧵

The whole documentary is more than 2 hours long and every minute is completely mind-blowing.

It's called:

American Experience:
The Chinese Exclusion Act
(from 2018)

I found it in my Kanopy app from my library but there are a number of ways to watch it.

Show threadˈdälfən™🐬 💥 🌊2d ago

4🧵

I actually bought the DVD too to keep because I'm concerned about Trump & others trying to erase this history (in general) and make everything in the US look all peachy.

Show threadˈdälfən™🐬 💥 🌊2d ago

5🧵

About 25 minutes before it ends, the documentary discusses how the Chinese Exclusion Act preceded legislation in 1917 and 1924 that excluded many MORE people – including basically all Asians (not just Chinese) and those of Eastern and Southern European descent.

There were also immigration caps and quotas for specific groups of people. Immigrants from certain nations (like Great Britain) were seen as more "desirable" than others.

#USA #US #history #racism

Show threadˈdälfən™🐬 💥 🌊2d ago

6🧵

...which, of course, led me to remember how #Trump put a dramatic cap on allowed #immigration last year, prioritizing white South Africans.

#USA #US #USpol
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https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/30/trump-slashes-refugee-numbers-afrikaners-00630038

Trump administration slashes number of refugees, prioritizes Afrikaners

The State Department will also no longer manage the resettlement of refugees.

Politico
Show threadDuckbilled Plattypus.2d ago
@dalfen The original 1924 Act did not restrict Canadian or Mexican border crossing, as they were both "Americas" versus undesirable unassimilating non-American foreigners. There was a vein of the New World vs the Old bias. During a one year period, however, about 300,000+ Southern and Eastern Europeans (particularly Polish immigrants) evaded quotas by crossing thru Canada and Mexico. By 1925 both those borders were tightened.