White House Defends 1882 Immigration Law Excluding Chinese Immigrants

Kevin R. Johnson

15 Jul 2026 — 1 min read

White House Photo

Not many scholars defend the discriminatory Chinese Exclusion Act, which the Supreme Court upheld in 1889 in a decision that continues to immunize the immigration laws from judicial review. But the Trump administration does!

Stuart Anderson for Forbes (White House Defends 1882 Immigration Law Excluding Chinese Immigrants) reports that a White House report defends the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, pushing back against its characterization by a Smithsonian Institution exhibit that the law was racist. The report criticizes the Smithsonian for its interpretations of the act and other historical events. The defense of the Chinese Exclusion Act comes despite extensive historical evidence detailing the widespread anti-Chinese sentiment and violence that underpinned the legislation.

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Immigration Article of the Day: The Price of the Fence: Climate Migration in the 21st Century by Gerald Torres & Al Brady

Report: Architecture of Cruelty: Third Country Removal Agreements and the Second Trump Administration

FWD.us: Statement on the Delays in DACA Removal Processing

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