Characteristic and significance of the immigration control system in early 20th century Britain:

enactment and enforcement of Aliens Act 1905

Abstract

In the history of British immigration policy, legislation of the Aliens Act 1905 was transformation from ‘open door’ to ‘immigration restriction’, and also forming of modern immigration control. On the other hand, the Act was evaluated ineffective. This article considers basic character and historical meaning of the Act. This article reveals the following points. (1) In provision of the Act, both immigration restriction and refugee asylum were institutionalized as one immigration control system. (2) There were inefficiencies of operation: limited target of actual control and inspection, vague definition of ‘undesirable immigrant’, and instruction of ‘benefit of the doubt’. (3) Although Home Secretary of the Liberal government took positive attitude toward immigration restriction in the war, he took passive attitude toward immigration control in the peace. And they preferred social reform to immigration restriction.