 In 1895, this federation affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and was renamed the "International Seamen's Union of America" or (ISU).Furuseth was chosen as the ISU's president in 1897 and served in this position until 1899.He took part to the founding meeting of the Asiatic Exclusion League in May 1905, which was almost immediately successful in pressuring the San Francisco Board of Education to segregate Asian school children.