This book traces the origins of the "illegal alien" in American law and society, explaining why and how illegal migration became the central problem in U.S. immigration policy--a process that profoundly shaped ideas and practices about citizenship, race, and state authority in the twentieth century. Mae Ngai offers a close reading of the legal regime of restriction that commenced in the 1920s--its statutory architecture, judicial genealogies, administrative...

"A timely and important picture book that introduces readers to Wong Kim Ark, who challenged the Supreme Court for his right to be an American citizen"-- Provided by publisher.