Chun Wing Kwong arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii, aboard the SS Mongolia on December 22, 1914. He claimed to be the son of Chun Seak, a Chinese merchant who ran a small store near Honolulu. As a merchant, the elder Chun could legally bring his child into the United States, but immigration inspectors in Honolulu found several troubling discrepancies during their interviews. Both Chuns had described their home village differently, and they had differed about when Chun Wing Kwong was born, where he went to school, and when they had last seen each other. Finally, they believed Chun Wing Kwong was at least 21—too old to qualify as a minor child. But the most damning evidence against Chun Wing Kwong was a package of cigarettes sent to him in detention. Officials noticed that the seal of the package was loose. When they opened it, they discovered a note in Chinese: “Grandmother bound feet. Chun Seak with me not recognize. Sure remember.” Such “coaching notes” were often smuggled to Chinese detainees so their interview answers would match those of their friends and family. The immigration inspectors believed “this note is an indication of fraud,” and
they denied Chun Wing entry. His appeals were turned down, and he was deported on February 12, 1915.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
National Archives Identifier:
6587570Full Citation: Photograph of Chun Wing Kwong and Chun Seak; ca. 1914; Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Record Group 85. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/photograph-of-chun-wing-kwong-and-chun-seak, May 13, 2024]