Smith Act

                                                            BY Marisela LaMadrid

 

• Also called The Alien Registration Act of 1940
• Signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 28, 1940
•  that made it a criminal offense to advocate violent overthrow of the government or to organize or be a member of any group or society devoted to such advocacy
•  The law also forced non-citizens to register with the U.S. government so that the government would be able to track them and their un-American ideas which may or may not lead to the overthrow of the government
•  The first section of the Alien Registration Act requires all non-citizen adults to register with the government within four months of arrival to the country
• The most popular case that used the Alien Registration Act took place in late June, 1948   Twelve leaders of the United States Communist Party were indicted upon charges of violating the advocacy section of the Alien Registration Act.  They were accused of advocating the violent overthrow of the U.S. government through their discussion of Marxism-Leninism to members, and their attempt to circulate pamphlets, books and other print media on these teachings