As a nation of immigrants, the United States has always attached importance immigrant "quality" and "quantity" because immigrants determine America's international competitiveness and future development. 200 years, U.S. immigration policy evolved, but whether it is prohibited or limited degree of opening, are in the U.S. national interests. To the immigration policy of the United States the results of the various interest groups in the game, but also by a certain period of U.S. political, military, foreign policy and racism Trends. U.S. immigration policy toward China to the United States regulates the Chinese population and demographic composition, indirectly affecting the Asian American occupational structure, geographical distribution, settlement patterns and the economic, political, social status and other aspects. First, the evolution of U.S. immigration policy toward China.

Throughout the U.S. immigration policy toward China changed the entire history of shirt can be roughly divided into two phases: the first is to limit the prohibition era (1943), and the second stage is loose and selection period (1943-present).

1, the restriction and prohibition period. American War of Independence (1783), the federal government faces an extremely difficult problem is the lack of labor. 1790 United States conducted the first census, the population was only 530.8 million.

The lack of serious impact on the labor process of industrialization in the United States, therefore, before the mid-19th century, the United States held on to the immigration generally welcoming attitude. 1785, U.S. merchant ship "Balas Goddess" carrying three Chinese seamen from Guangzhou to reach the U.S. East Coast in Baltimore. 1820, the first time the Chinese to the United States USCIS case record. According to official records, from 1820 to 1840, 20 years, a total of 10 Chinese people moved to the United States. In 1847, China's first batch of students who arrive Yung Wing, etc. 3 Massachusetts school. In this period, although the number of Chinese immigrants to the United States less, but they are into and out of the United States is basically free in the U.S. and fewer restrictions.

1848 Kwan California State Sacramento Valley discovery of gold, the history of the famous California "Gold Rush" began, people around the world rushed to the United States Nuggets, China Guangdong Pearl River Delta after hearing the poor peasants, but also tempted forward to California in search of riches. According to records, in 1848 there are three Chinese people into the United States in 1849 was 325 people in 1850 to 450 people in 1851 to 2716. According to U.S. immigration records, 1854. There are 13,100 Chinese people into the United States in 1870 was 15,754 people in 1873 to 202,921 people in 1876 to 22,781 people in 1882 to 39,579 people.

In 1863 the construction of the U.S. Central Pacific Railroad, is the early Chinese immigrants to the United States affect the second issue. With the central Pacific in China Merchants funeral workers into the United States to further increase the number of Chinese workers. According to statistics, in 1866 the summer, only in the American River Canyon (American River Canyon) Upstream 6,000 Chinese workers there. In order to get cheap Chinese labor, in 1868, the United States and China Qing government signed the "Burlingame Treaty", the main contents of the treaty: Chinese laborers into the United States is not restricted, and the right to residence, but people other than the question of membership.

Chinese workers practical work hard, hard, gold mining in California and the Central Pacific Railway construction process have outstanding performance, far more than from human labor, so much praised employers. At the end of gold mining and railway is completed, Chinese workers turn to engage in other industries. Even in California during the recession, the Chinese workers were still more likely to have gained white working career. This angered the white workers, they believe that Chinese workers snatch their jobs, reducing their wage, so trumpeted racist "Chinese are yellow peril", "Can not assimilated in American life and American ethical standards," the U.S. set off a wave of anti-Chinese around constantly. The white politicians in order to curry favor with voters, to win votes, will also be Chinese as a political victim.

From the large number of Chinese workers into California started the California Legislature on the development of a series of restrictions of Chinese labor and employment, human rights violations of Chinese labor laws and regulations. For example, in 1850, California passed the "Foreign Miners License Law", forcing Chinese miners and other foreign miners to pay special taxes; 1858 through the "No Chinese or other Mongoloids further immigration California Law" requirement since 1858 October 1 ban any Chinese or Mongolian into California; 1870, the California Legislature passed the "prevent crime of kidnapping and input Mongolia Lee, China, Japan Women Act" and "prevent the input of Chinese criminal law," The former does not prevent the entry of Chinese women in particular documents, which prohibit Chinese man entry. After 1870, San Francisco, California, and has successively passed the "Act laundry shop", "San Francisco anti-braided Law", "fishing law", "to prevent the license issued to foreigners Law" and "anti-comfort Regulations" and other laws and regulations, on the Chinese obtains a business license, laundry shop, purchase of land to be many restrictions. In 1875, the U.S. Congress passed the first nationwide legal migration management "Page Law", the law on immigration from the East to restrict, prevent Chinese women into the United States, hindering the Chinese family reunion.

In 1882, the U.S. federal government and local governments in China have shown immigration policy restrictions prohibit the tendency, but the wave of anti-vertex, then when pushed in 1882 of the "Chinese Exclusion Act." May 6, 1882, U.S. President Arthur signed the "Chinese Exclusion Act." The main contents of the Act include: 10-year ban on Chinese workers into the United States; allow Chinese naturalized U.S. citizen; allow only Chinese diplomats, scholars, students, businessmen, travelers in the United States short stay. "Chinese Exclusion Act" is the first in American history one pair of Chinese immigration restrictions to implement the laws, but also the only American history expressly prohibited Chinese naturalization laws, it marks the end of American freedom during migration, but also persecution against Chinese flag has been reviewed by local government behavior rose to the federal government acts, which opened a 60-year history of Chinese American "Dark Ages."

In 1892, the "Chinese Exclusion Act," the time limit expires, the U.S. Congress passed the relevant amendment to extend the time limit of 10 years; to 1902, to extend the time limit has been 10 years; to 1904, time is infinite competition period be extended. From 1882 to 1943, the U.S. Congress enacted the "Scott Law," "Immigration Law" and other 15 laws; California Legislature enacted the "Law prohibiting Chinese immigrants into the state," "Aliens Act on the ground" and many other legal , strict restrictions on the Chinese, discrimination is also much more.

After the 1820s, the United States immigration policy the emergence of new trends. In 1921 Congress passed the "1921 Quota Act," the first time in the Act refers to "quota" concept. In 1924 it adopted the "national new law", namely "Johnson - Reed Act," which will world countries classified into two areas, one for the eligible area, an area classified as ineligible. Citizens of countries ineligible areas not eligible for U.S. citizenship, it can not enter the United States. China is listed persons ineligible areas, the Chinese are therefore prohibited from entering the United States, even in the American-born Chinese, once married in China, their families are not eligible to enter the United States. Immigration quota system established in the history of U.S. immigration law is an important chapter, it marked the United States began the implementation of quality and quantity restrictions limiting parallel system, the quota system to ensure immigrants in quite a long time moved to the United States in an appropriate scale. Since then, U.S. immigration policy has been upholds quota thinking on immigration more screened to ensure compliance with U.S. standards only immigrants to enter the United States.

2, loose and selection period (1943-present). World War II changed the fate of the Chinese in America. For strategic alliances and fight against fascism needs repealing "Chinese Exclusion Act" became the United States defeated Japan in the Far East, an important part of the strategy, the strategy includes political, diplomatic and military aspects level considerations. October 1943, President Roosevelt's message to Congress expounded by repealing "Chinese Exclusion Act" of historical importance and urgency: "The state and individuals, can make mistakes and we have enough courage to admit past errors, and corrected by repeal Chinese Exclusion Act, we can correct a historic mistake, and eliminate distortions of Japanese wooden propaganda ";" to grant citizenship to say in our relatively small number of Chinese residents, will be another a meaningful gesture of friendship, it will further prove that we are not only fighting alongside China as a partner, will treat her as a peace partner. "

In all forces, driven by December 17, 1943, President Roosevelt signed the "Repeal Chinese Exclusion Act, regulations immigration quotas and other matters of the law", although only three of the Act, but each one is very vertical to: a Since 1882, the abolition of all the rows of Chinese laws and other legal provisions in the row of China, the second is to give China an annual quota of 105 immigrants, three are legally allowed to enter the United States to join the United States of Chinese nationality.

Repeal "Chinese Exclusion Act" is the U.S. immigration policy toward China is an important turning point in the epoch-making significance. On the positive side, allowing the Chinese to enter the United States and became a U.S. citizen since 1882, the first time since lifting the ban, the United States since the door wide open for the Chinese. This as the originator, more and more Chinese people into the United States, the influence is also growing, they gradually identify with American values and cultural outlook and deeper integration into mainstream American society, the Chinese attitude from the "Alien exotic" into "roots." On the negative side and, despite the abolition of anti-Chinese laws against Chinese immigrants in the United States a major change in policy, but each year only a symbolic 105 places (including 79 places for Chinese mainland immigrants), just out of the war that the United States needs to make a gesture, bones restrict Chinese immigration attitude remains unchanged.

American soldiers in World War II in order to solve the question of the status of foreign spouses and children, the U.S. Congress has passed the "War Bride Law" (1945), "August 9 Law" (1946), (war bride France "amendment (1947), which allows the U.S. military spouses and children into the United States, including U.S. military personnel and veterans Chinese American wife of Chinese nationality, which makes Chinese women into the United States greatly increased the number of people, for example, With "War Bride Law" amendment, about 5,000 U.S. soldiers wife of Chinese nationality to enter the United States.

In 1948, the U.S. Congress passed the "USA 1948 Refugee Act on China" to give the United States because the Chinese civil war and the stranded Chinese scholars, tourists, sailors, totaling 3,500 people to permanent resident status. After the outbreak of the Korean War, in order to prevent Chinese students returning, the Act has been extended and supplementary regulations, the security check, to give Chinese students to permanent residency.

In 1952 the United States enacted the "immigration and Nationality Act" (also known as "Macallan a Walters Law") is the longest one American immigration law, but also a more systematic and comprehensive immigration law. Progressive nature of the law is that the policy makers of past racial discrimination in immigration policy stance was partially corrected, it gives the population of people of all races membership rights. Secondly, it opened the first precedent of skilled migrants, immigrants total requirement for 50% quota for a technical expertise and outstanding talented immigrants. This far-reaching, relying on skilled migration policy, the United States each year from around the world to attract a large number of talents, they for the United States of technological progress and economic development has provided the momentum. But in 1952 the "Alien Immigration and Nationality Act," also has its limitations: First, it established the Asia-Pacific triangle, for Asian immigrants still pursuing discriminatory policies, China's quota only be trimmed to 205; Second, it is a firm and improve the national origin quotas, will global quota set at 15.6 million, of which 83% give NWE countries; Third, it will oppose the Communist Party of the "Internal Security Act" into them, which is unique in the history of U.S. immigration law of . Thus, in 1952, of the "Alien Immigration and Nationality Act," with strong political overtones.

In 1965, before the introduction of the Immigration Act, the U.S. Congress recurrence of intense internal debate, the debate on the theme "ethnic origin on whether to abolish the system." Justice Minister card•Katzenbach said: "The choice should be based on the basis of their immigration for our social and economic development to make any contribution, rather than on them or their ancestors were born in what place." This view was eventually adopted , (1965 Immigration and Nationality Act "adopted.

1965 U.S. immigration law Immigration law is a monument in the history of its rejection of the past racial discrimination in immigration law and nationality discrimination traditional position to implement the global quota system. First, the Act provides insulted by other nations in the population immigrated to the United States amounted to 29 million, of which the Eastern Hemisphere countries in the amount of 17 million people, the Western Hemisphere countries in the amount of 12 million people, but no more than 2 million people in any country. According to this law, China and other countries to obtain equal treatment. Secondly, the law on the implementation of the immigration quota allocation priority principles: first and second class were given priority unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens and permanent residence for spouses and minor children of expatriates, immigrants accounted for a total of two limits quota of 40%; third category giving priority to highly educated immigrants with outstanding talent; fourth category giving priority to married children of U.S. citizens, 10% of the total quota; fifth priority is given to at least 21 year-old brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens, which accounted for 24% of the quota; sixth class of the United States needed to give priority to skilled and unskilled labor, both of which add up to the total quota of 20% 0 VII give priority to refugees , 6% of the total quota.