Nineteen Japanese Immigrants Arrested After Trek from Canada
Destitute group walks from Vancouver, B.C., to Whatcom in hopes of finding work in Seattle.
The story, cleaned up
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Nineteen young Japanese men have been detained by customs authorities in Whatcom after arriving on foot from Vancouver, B.C. The men landed in Vancouver a few days ago from the steamer Mogul and, finding themselves destitute, decided to walk to Seattle to look for work. They carried heavy luggage for the entire journey. Authorities intend to hold them until they can communicate with provincial officials in British Columbia.
“They have no certificates or permits from the commissioner of immigration at Vancouver, and are almost destitute.”
This 1894 incident highlights the intersection of the 'Coxey's Army' protest movement—a wave of unemployed men marching on Washington—and the era's severe anti-Asian sentiment. While today's Seattle serves as a global hub for diverse talent, these men were treated as criminalized, unwanted outsiders merely for seeking a livelihood.
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