They couldn't find enough white workers due to the Civil War.
It fueled a railroad investment and land speculation bubble, leading to the first Great Depression.
A recession hit Western states harder, leading to blame on Chinese immigrants for job losses.
They were banned from owning farmland, accessing fishing grounds, and entering interracial marriages.
It reduced economic growth and led to a decline in white male labor supply by 28%.
The loss of Chinese-run services like bars and hotels made towns less attractive.
They can have unintended negative economic impacts on both immigrants and native-born workers.
Donald Trump promises to deport millions of unauthorized immigrants once he returns to the White House. If he follows through, the scale of it would be unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes.Many supporters of Trump's mass deportation agenda say expelling unauthorized immigrants will help the US economy. But a look back at America's first major immigration crackdown suggests otherwise.On this episode, host Adrian Ma) and his colleagues from NPR's The Indicator) podcast look at that immigration crackdown during the 'Chinese Exclusion Era,' and the economic impact it had on the West. For a deeper dive into the economic history of the Chinese Exclusion Era, check out the latest installments of Planet Money's newsletter. In Part One), NPR's Greg Rosalsky covers the economic circumstances that led to a populist anti-Chinese movement. In Part Two), he explains the ways (both legal and extralegal) that movement succeeded in driving Chinese immigrants away from the U.S. and the economic fallout that ensued.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org).Email us at [email protected]).Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)