During this period, Chinese immigration rate dramatically increased because of the arrival to the west coast of thousands of Chinese workers who were hired in the mining industry as well as agriculture and railroad construction. The U.S. required low-paid jobs at that time.
That immigration wave was limited with the Exclusion Act of 1882, that barred Chinese people from obtaining U.S. citizenship.
In the mid 60's, once that Act was repealed, the 1965 Immigration Act created o for non-European people to participate in temporary labor programs.
At this moment, Chinese people are the third largest immigrants' colony that lives in the United States, just behind Mexicans and Indians.