The best example of the growing fear of communism and foreigners in America during the 1920s is the Red Scare. The Red Scare refers to the period of intense fear of communism and anarchism that spread across the United States after World War I, particularly in response to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and various labor strikes and social unrest within the U.S.
During this time, there were widespread measures taken against perceived threats, including the Palmer Raids, where government agents conducted mass arrests and deportations of individuals labeled as radicals or subversives, many of whom were immigrants. This fear also manifested in the second Red Scare of the late 1940s and early 1950s, but the roots can be traced back to the 1920s.
Additionally, the rise of nativist sentiments and restrictive immigration policies, such as the Immigration Act of 1924, also reflected the fear of foreigners associated with communism and radical ideologies. This was a time when societal tensions were heightened, leading to a climate of suspicion and persecution against those who were viewed as different or dangerous.