Chinese immigrants were targeted by the Chinese Exclusion Act primarily due to economic and racial motivations. The act aimed to restrict Chinese immigration and specifically target the Chinese laborers who were seen as direct competitors to American workers for jobs and resources. Additionally, many Americans held racist attitudes towards Chinese immigrants, viewing them as a threat to the country's economic and social fabric. The act reflected and reinforced these discriminatory beliefs, seeking to limit the presence and influence of Chinese immigrants in the United States.
