original_query: What were the immigration laws in the early years of the United States?
query: What were the immigration and naturalization laws in the early years of the United States?
answer: In the early years, the US had no formal immigration laws but strict naturalization laws.  Only naturalized citizens could vote or hold office. This system of open immigration but controlled naturalization lasted until the 1870s-1880s when eugenics influenced the adoption of immigration laws.