What difficulty did both Chinese and Japanese immigrants face when trying to pass through immigration stations in the late 1800s and early 1900s?

Both were targets of the Chinese Exclusion Act. This act barred laborers from entering the United States. Immigration officers were strict with Chinese immigrants because they were willing to work for low wages and during this period the economy was in the decline so they were seen as a threat in terms of employment opportunities. Since the Japanese looked similar to the Chinese they too were put under suspicion.