Final answer:
Nativist responses to immigration included various exclusionary measures like forming the American Protective Association and promoting literacy tests, but they did not include all forms of discrimination. Nativists specifically opposed nonwhites, non-Protestants, and new immigrants from central and southern Europe. President Grover Cleveland vetoed a literacy test law influenced by business interests.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nativist responses to immigration and immigrants included several restrictive measures, but they did not encompass all possible forms of discrimination. Specifically, nativists were known to hope to prevent the migration of nonwhites, non-Protestants, Jews, and other "new" immigrants from Central and Southern Europe. They also harbored prejudices against Native Americans. The American Protective Association, formed in 1887, targeted Jewish and Catholic migrants with their campaigns. On the other hand, the Immigration Restriction League advocated for literacy tests based on an immigrant's native language, contrasting future English-based tests. President Grover Cleveland vetoed such a law due to egalitarian ideals and pressure from businesses who favored the influx of cheap labor.
Moreover, nativism contributed to the Chinese Exclusion Act, legislation influenced by racist biases against Asian Americans and other minorities. The rise of nativism brought about an increased suspicion of individuals not born in the U.S., even though many of the targeted communities had deeper historical roots in America than many white residents.