11 Facts About Smith Act

1.

Prosecutions under the Smith Act continued until a series of U S Supreme Court decisions in 1957 reversed a number of convictions under the Act as being unconstitutional.

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2.

The Smith Act is referred to by the name of its principal author, Rep.

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3.

Alien Registration Smith Act was merely one of many laws hastily passed in the first spasm of fear engendered by the success of fifth columns in less fortunate countries.

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4.

On October 13, 1941, the 77th United States Congress amended the Smith Act, authorizing a criminal offense for the unlawful reproduction of alien registration receipt cards.

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5.

The Smith Act set federal criminal penalties that included fines or imprisonment for as long as twenty years, and denied all employment by the federal government for five years following a conviction for anyone who:.

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6.

Smith Act expanded the grounds for deporting aliens to include weapons violations and abetting illegal immigration.

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7.

The Smith Act required aliens applying for visas to register and be fingerprinted.

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8.

Smith Act was written so that federal authorities could deport radical labor organizer Harry Bridges, an immigrant from Australia.

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9.

The Smith Act allowed deportation of an alien who had been "at any time" since arriving in the U S a member of, or affiliated with, such an organization.

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10.

In March 1942, the government charged George W Christians, founder of the Crusader White Shirts, with violating the Smith Act by attempting to spread dissent in the armed forces.

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11.

Smith Act was released after serving fifteen months when President John F Kennedy commuted his sentence in 1962.

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