Many immigrants suffered both physical and verbal abuse because they were "different". Prejudice against Italians contributed to the false conviction of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti in 1921. Sacco and Vanzetti were Italian immigrants accused and convicted of the murder of two men during an armed robbery in Massachusetts. After a controversial trial, the men were executed in August 1927. Many arguments were made, but it was strongly believed that the men were not given a fair trial and that it was because of racism that the men were convicted, not because of the tests. . The groups of arriving Italians were seen as “clans” by Americans, this is because they typically stuck to their peers rather than assimilating. However, language and culture are important and very challenging differences to overcome, especially in rapidly growing American cities, where competition for living space and jobs was very fierce. Discrimination against Italians saw another surge during World War II. During this time, thousands of Italians were sent to camps or were heavily surveilled by the United States government. Others often had to carry identification with them at all times if they worked near sensitive areas, such as around ports and/or naval bases, to prove that they were legal citizens of America. Immigrant men were generally paid less than Americans