Palo

One Paulo Palo applied for admission to the United States, presenting a passport issued by the Governor General of the Philippine Islands, requesting all whom it might concern to permit Palo, a citizen of the Philippine Islands, owing allegiance to the United States, safely and freely to pass, and in case of need to give him all lawful aid and protection. .The application Eor admission was denied by the immigration authorities, and by the court below on habeas corpus, on the ground that the appellant was a Chinese laborer, not entitled to admission to the United States under the exclusion laws. In support of his appeal to this court the appellant contends that as a citizen of the Philippine Islands he owes allegiance- to the United States, is not an alien, and is therefore not within the purview of either the exclusion laws or the immigration laws. In view of the large number of Chinese on the island territory, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, the question thus presented is far-reaching and important.

We must concede, of course, that a *608 citizen of the Philippine Islands owes allegiance to the United States and is not an alien, but nevertheless, in our…