What was the purpose of the Palmer Raids in the 1920's?

The Palmer Raids in the 1920s were intended to eliminate the imaginary threat about the existence of communists in the America. Most people who had immigrated into the United States were peaceful and posed no threat.

The raids were organized by the Department of Justice with Mitchell Palmer as the Attorney General. The police raided major cities and arrested people they believed were anarchists. The entire operation was termed as unnecessary since it was marked by poor communication, ineffective planning and poor intelligence. Ideally, it was a portrayal of overzealous security efforts by Palmer and Edgar Hoover, lawyer of the Department of Justice. Eventually, most of the people arrested were released.