Final answer:
The correct answer is A) Chinese, as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 specifically barred Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States due to racial prejudice and economic scapegoating.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 marked a significant moment in American immigration policy as it was the first law to bar a specific ethnic group from immigrating to the United States due to racial prejudice and economic scapegoating. This exclusionary act arose from deeply rooted anti-immigrant sentiments, particularly on the West Coast, where white workers accused Chinese laborers of taking their jobs during a period of economic downturn.
Despite the ban on laborers, some groups, like wealthy Chinese, were still permitted to migrate. This act not only halted Chinese immigration but also reinforced physical and cultural segregation, as many Chinese immigrants could not afford to leave the U.S. or to bring their families over, resulting in a concentrated population in urban Chinatowns.