In Measuring Up, Cici and her family immigrate from Taiwan to Seattle. According to the Migration Policy Institute, about 342,000 Taiwanese immigrants live in the United States, with many settling in California (Yi-Ying Lin, Serena. “Taiwanese Immigrants in the United States,” Migration Policy Institute). As is the case with many Asian countries, immigrants from Taiwan were restricted by anti-Asian immigrant laws enacted by the United States. After World War II, refugees and asylum seekers traveled through Hong Kong or Taiwan.

The Hart-Celler Act in 1965 set up a quota system that viewed Taiwanese immigrants as separate from Chinese immigrants (which had not previously been the case). This act laid a foundation for family reunion and employment as the two means by which Taiwanese immigrants were able to come to the United States. In 1979, Taiwanese Americans pushed Congress to pass the Taiwan Relations Act, establishing an additional 20,000 spots for Taiwanese immigrants.

According to sociology professor Aspen Chen, over 70% of Taiwanese individuals have a bachelor’s degree, which is double the number of Americans and more than all Asian immigrant groups (Chen, Aspen. “‘Going to America’: An Overview on Taiwanese Migration to the US.” University of Nottingham Taiwan Studies Programme).