Early Syrian immigrants were predominantly Christian and too few to draw national notice.

Evidence

When immigrants from the Levant slowly began to arrive at the turn of the twentieth century in pursuit of economic opportunity, their affiliation with Islam (either as Muslims or as Christians governed by Muslim rulers) deemed them inassimilable non-Whites. — Sahar F. Aziz, The Racial Muslim, 484 (#complicates, via linked claim)

“Many Syrian Muslims sought to pass as Christian in order to be more easily accepted into the United States and to circumvent Ottoman regulations which forbade the emigration of Muslims.” — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 654 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Early Syrian Muslims passed as Christians to enter the United States — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 654; Early US naturalization law treated Christian Syrians as White. — Sahar F. Aziz, The Racial Muslim: When Racism Quashes…, 540; Syrian immigrants won citizenship by proving their whiteness through Christian faith (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• Early Levantine immigrants were deemed inassimilable non-Whites due to Muslim affiliation #complicates (0.75) — Sahar F. Aziz, The Racial Muslim, 484
• Syrian Christians won nominal whiteness yet were never treated as fully white #complicates (0.74)
• Early Syrian Muslims passed as Christians to enter the United States #complicates (0.72) — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 654