Chinese Exclusion Act -- this one is a tough one!?

Question

I have conflicting information and I need help sorting this out. It appears as though Chester A. Arthur passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which severely limited Chinese immigration, but I also have a quote by him credited as being a remark made when he vetoed the act, something along the lines of trade with the East being essential. Did Congress override Arthur's veto of the Chinese Exclusion Act? Any help with the exact process this bill went through to becoming law would be very helpful in the writing of a play that I'm in the middle of.

Thanks

Answer 1

There was more than one Chinese exclusion act. The first one in 1881 the year Arthur became President would have banned all Chinese immigration for 20 years. Arthur vetoed it and Congress did not override his veto. The second one which passed Congress in 1882 banned most Chinese immigration for 10 years but allowed in skilled Chinese immigrants. Later that same year he also signed a law banning poor people, the mentally ill and criminals from immigrating to the US.

Incidentally, the 1882 act was also the birth of illegal immigration to this country as was not possible to immigrate illegally prior to that

Answer 2

IMMIGRATION SHOULD BE FOR ALL!!  i SAY CLOSE THE BORDERS!!  WE HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE!!