The 1902 Residence Law constituted one of the most significant repressive legislative milestones in Argentine history. Far from addressing residency, it focused on the deportation of foreigners in a country that simultaneously promoted overseas immigration. The opacity with which it was implemented has meant that for over a century our understanding of it has been superficial and insufficient. Its widespread use and the target population reveal it as an anti-worker law that inaugurated a unique form of state repression. This book delves into reconstructing its operation through extensive research with primary sources that shed light on this elusive legislation. It also analyzes its unique gender dimension, given that its application was masculinized while impacting women, children, and entire families. This study also seeks to bring to light the stories of hundreds of individuals targeted by this law. Revisiting this legislation is fundamental to problematizing the long history of state repression in Argentina.

This book is included in DOAB.