Supreme Court denies Indian immigrant whiteness for citizenship in Thind

The Supreme Court rules in United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind on February 19, 1923, that Bhagat Singh Thind, an Indian immigrant, is not white within the meaning of federal naturalization law. The Court rejects a technical racial-science argument that some Indians could be classified as Caucasian and instead applies a common-understanding test of whiteness. The decision threatens citizenship for many South Asian immigrants. Courts shape racial boundaries around immigration, citizenship, and national belonging.