Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

6-2026

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Program

Political Science

Advisor

Charles Tien

Subject Categories

American Politics | Political Science

Keywords

U.S. immigration law, Racial exclusion, Immigration policy, Racial hierarchy, Immigration enforcement, National security discourse

Abstract

This thesis examines how immigration law in the United States has historically functioned as an instrument of racial exclusion and argues that this logic continues to shape contemporary policy and enforcement. Although overtly racist laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) or the National Origins Act (1924) have long been repealed, their underlying rationales and structures continue to survive under the modern language of legality, security, and national interest. This study argues that restrictive immigration policies tend to emerge when racial and social insecurities intersect, allowing old hierarchies to be revived under new legal justifications. Through a comparative historical analysis of some of the most important immigration laws in American history - including the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), the Immigration Act (1917), the Immigration Act (1924), and the Immigration and Nationality Act (1965) - as well as contemporary enforcement by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the thesis traces how the logic of exclusion has evolved from overtly discriminatory to bureaucratic and institutionalized forms. Drawing on legislative debates, legal documents, and enforcement discourse, the study demonstrates that U.S. immigration law has not transcended its racial foundations but, instead, continues to define and control the boundaries of belonging. In connecting historical exclusions to current practices, this thesis reveals the enduring power of law to reproduce racial hierarchies under the guise of neutrality and national defense.

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