The Making of Modern US Citizenship and Alienage: The History of Asian Immigration, Racial Capital, and US Law

Abstract This article unravels an important historical conjuncture in the making of modern US citizenship and alienage by drawing on state's regulation naturalization as it relates to Asian immigration early twentieth century. My primary concern is examine socio-legal formations that constructed thick distinctions between citizen alien along lines racial difference capital. Specifically, this argues United States remade two significant interconnected ways. First, underscores how adjudication race courts connected political campaigns re-mapped sharpened racialization Asia Europe profound ways ultimately produced immigrants from southern, central, eastern parts alien. Second, debate over immigrants’ eligibility naturalize refashioned legal status a normative avenue sustain regime It cast for White men families acquire protect proprietary interest recast some permanent aliens period when came signify disposable immigrant labor. The concludes distinguishing struggle frames epistemological parameters vocabulary reform.