United States v. Sing Tuck or Do, 194 U.S. 161 (1904)

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United States v. Sing Tuck Or Do


No. 691


Argued April 7, 1904
Decided April 25, 1904
194 U.S. 161

CERTIORARI TO THE CIRCUIT COURT
OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT

Syllabus

It is one of the necessities of the administration of justice that all questions, even though fundamental, should be determined in an orderly way, and it is within the power of Congress to require one asserting the right to enter this country on the ground that he is a citizen to establish his citizenship in some reasonable way.

A mere allegation of citizenship by a person of Chinese descent is not sufficient to oust the inspector of jurisdiction under the alien immigrant law and allow a resort to the courts without taking the appeal to the Secretary provided for in the act, and unless such appeal has been taken and decided, a writ of habeas corpus will be denied.

The facts, which involved the right to enter the United States, of certain persons of Chinese descent who claimed to be citizens of the United States, are stated in the opinion of the Court.