Final answer:
Native-born and earlier immigrant groups' support of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was hypocritical because it contradicted the inclusive immigration ethos of the U.S. and rejected the opportunity for Chinese immigrants that they themselves had utilized.
Step-by-step explanation:
The support for the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 by native-born and earlier immigrant groups is considered hypocritical because these groups themselves were beneficiaries of the United States' historically inclusive immigration policies. By advocating for a law that barred entry to Chinese people based on their race or ethnicity, they contradicted the nation’s ethos as a land of opportunity for immigrants. Moreover, earlier immigrants had similarly once been seen as outsiders and had faced challenges integrating into American society, but were now excluding others from the same opportunities they had been afforded.