Immigration Act of 1917 and WWI
As 1917 approached, the U.S. was now in full force “anti-foreigner paranoia” (Romo, 2006, Para. 2). The implementation of the 1917 Immigration Act set up the first national, restrictive barriers on immigrants by mandating a head tax of $8 for anyone over the age of sixteen, require a literacy test (ability to read thirty to forty words), and “prohibit contract labor” (Romo, 2006, para.1). This act was imposed to restrict, what Congress called, “idiots, imbeciles, epileptics, alcoholics, poor, criminals, beggars, any person suffering attacks of insanity, those with tuberculosis, and those who have any form of dangerous contagious disease, aliens who have a physical disability that will restrict them from earning a living in the United States” (as cited in Tucker & Creller, “1917 Immigration Act, n.d., para.1). A pure, hegemonic American nation seemed to be the underlying forefront in throttling easy access into the U.S. by foreigners.
This year also marked when the U.S. entered WWI. Terror over possible German air raids and attacks through Mexico haunted American minds and lead to “neighborhood self-defense squads in El Paso watching out for German air attacks from Mexico” (Romo, 2005, p.229).
This year also marked when the U.S. entered WWI. Terror over possible German air raids and attacks through Mexico haunted American minds and lead to “neighborhood self-defense squads in El Paso watching out for German air attacks from Mexico” (Romo, 2005, p.229).