As fear of communism specifically, but radicals in general, grew after World War I, the potential for a Red Scare overreaction grew along with it. There had been many, many recent immigrants to America, and many carried with them some radical ideas, especially anarchy.
Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, his own home attacked by a radical, conducted the Palmer Raids in 1919 and 1920, arresting several thousands suspects (most of them innocent) and deporting about 500 of them. People with Russian last names were a common target, as we suspected that they had brought communist ideas to the US, or were working as communist agents. We deported them back to Russia where many were arrested and killed.
A piece of trivia for you - One of Palmer's right hand men during the First Red Scare was one J. Edgar Hoover, later FBI Director during the Second Red Scare and the Justice Department in Washington DC still bears his name.
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