Cheong Ah Moy v. United States facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cheong Ah Moy v. United States |
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Argued January 9, 1885 Decided January 26, 1885 |
|
| Full case name | Cheong Ah Moy v. United States |
| Citations | 113 U.S. 216 (more)
5 S. Ct. 431; 28 L. Ed. 983
|
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Miller, joined by unanimous |
Cheong Ah Moy v. United States was an important court case from 1885. It was about a young Chinese woman named Cheong Ah Moy. She arrived in San Francisco, California, from China. However, she was not allowed to enter the city. This was because of a law called the Chinese Exclusion Act.
This law, passed in 1882, stopped most Chinese people from coming to the United States. Cheong Ah Moy was forced to stay on a ship that was going back to China. Someone had to ask a court for a special order, called a writ of habeas corpus. This order helps someone who is being held unfairly to be set free.
Contents
What Was This Case About?
This case looked at whether Cheong Ah Moy could be released from being held. It also questioned if she could stay in the United States. The situation involved a person's freedom and the power of new immigration laws.
A Difficult Journey
When Cheong Ah Moy arrived, she was arrested. A court ordered that she be sent back to China. She was placed in the care of a marshal, who is like a police officer. His job was to make sure she got back on a ship to China.
But the ship she came on had already left. So, the marshal put Cheong Ah Moy in jail. She stayed there for safety until another ship was ready to take her.
Why Couldn't She Stay?
The main reason Cheong Ah Moy was not allowed to enter was the Chinese Exclusion Act. This law was passed by the United States Congress in 1882. It was one of the strictest immigration laws in American history.
The Act stopped Chinese laborers from coming to the U.S. for ten years. It also made it very hard for Chinese people already in the U.S. to return if they left. This law was later made even stronger. It showed a time when the U.S. government limited who could enter the country.
What Happened Next?
Cheong Ah Moy's lawyer asked the court to let her out on bail. This would mean she could be free while her case was decided. The judges in the court could not agree on whether to allow bail.
They finally said no to the request. They then sent the question to the Supreme Court for a decision. But something important happened while they were waiting.
The marshal had already put Cheong Ah Moy on another ship. This ship, called the New York, was sailing to China. She left the United States on October 7. This happened before the Supreme Court could even look at her case.
The Court's Decision
Because Cheong Ah Moy had already left the country, the Supreme Court decided not to rule on her case. They said the question was "moot." This means there was no longer a real problem for the court to solve.
She was no longer in jail or under the marshal's care. Even if the court said she could have bail, it would not help her. She was already outside the United States. The court cannot make decisions about people who are not under its power. So, the case was closed without a ruling on the main issue.
