In 1892, Thomas J. Geary, a Democratic Congressman from California,
introduced a bill that extended for another decade all of the laws related to
Chinese immigration. It established an internal passport system for all Chinese
residents in the United States, by requiring them to apply for and carry a
certificate of residence. If found without their certificate, they would be
subject to deportation or imprisonment for a year of hard labor. Furthermore,
bail was denied to Chinese involved in habeas corpus proceedings, and
Chinese witnesses were prohibited from appearing in court. Chinese Americans and
the Chinese government denounced the law. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the
Geary Act in 1893.
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