Why/How did the U.S. Government chose to regulate the Chinese?

I am answering this question because a few people in our group mentioned the significance of the The Chinese Exclusion Act.

Answer - 

The Chinese Exclusion Act excluded "skilled and unskilled [Chinese] laborers employed in mining" from entering the country for ten years under penalty of imprisonment and deportation. This occurred during the end of the United State's "Gold Rush" As gold became harder to find competition increased because of the high value of Gold. Hate towards the Chinese and other foreigners in general increased. After being forcibly driven from the mines, and sometimes beaten after the C.E.A. most Chinese settled in cities, and worked low end wage labor such as restaurant and laundry work. Anti-Chinese animosity became politicized by labor leader Denis Kearney and his Workingman's Party as well as by California Governor John Bigler, both of whom blamed Chinese "coolies" for depressed wage levels. In addition, white supremacist groups added to the already existing tension.

Either know the Chinese Exclusion Act only mentioned Chinese miners, it served as another hoop for Chinese immigrant to jump through. The few Chinese non-laborers who wished to immigrate had to receive certification papers from the Chinese government that they were qualified to immigrate, which were difficult to prove.