Trials at the Gate of Ellis Island - 1912

Introduction

The article "Trials at the Gate of Ellis Island," published in 1912, offers a detailed account of the challenges and tribulations faced by immigrants as they arrived at Ellis Island, the primary entry point for millions of newcomers to the United States. It describes the rigorous inspections, the emotional and psychological strain, and the uncertainty that characterized the immigrant experience at this critical juncture in their journey.

A Young Immigrant Woman Receives Bad News About Her Husband to Be: Telegram from the West, "He is Dead." She Must Go Back. The Home Missionary, March 1909. GGA Image ID # 149b3c2442

The detention of immigrants in Ellis Island is fraught with many hardships. All the detained bewail their misfortune; hundreds are bitter and resentful. The following letter received from one of these unfortunates is representative:

"We are two young men, brothers, who suffer here very much for nothing. I have been in this country for ten years, and last October, I went to Brussels to see my parents. I brought my brother with me to put him in an American school.

The immigration authorities excluded us. After three days, they called us and said we could stay if we appealed to the Commissioner. We wrote an appeal, but after he put us in jail between 300 and 400 men, we did not hear from him since [twelve days later].

We have stayed in the same place until now, helpless. They feed us poorly and sleep on beds, which even those who commit crimes don't use. Living under such circumstances, we become sick, both of us.

We wish to go back or to be let free; otherwise, we will lose our health forever." We have heard some things about the crowded condition of Ellis Island, but the whole story has not been told.

A recent immigrant says: " Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island are crowded in pens by day and at night sleep on iron shelves."

Ellis Island Accommodations

Accommodations on the Island have been ample but still inadequate when the immigration inflow is high. If, in one day, twenty-three hundred souls are detained and packed into the detention rooms, we can safely say that no part of New York City is more congested than the rooms these occupy on Ellis Island.[1]

This is not due to the men in charge of the station; it is inevitable because there is a lack of adequate space to meet the needs. The accommodations furnished are limited. When the number of detained passes beyond a thousand, there is congestion and consequent suffering.

The air in the room where three hundred men are kept is foul and sickening. The government has tried to remedy this by installing suction fans, but the effort could be more successful.

When hundreds of persons breathe continuously in the same room, a very productive ventilation system must be installed to keep the air sweet. Proper ventilation is as much about letting in fresh air as it is about removing foul air, and the appliances to do this want to be used in the construction of the detention quarters on the Island.

The present Immigration Commissioner, as well as his predecessors, is doing the best he can with the equipment at his command, and before he or any other man can provide adequate accommodations to the detained when immigration brings more than 100,000 per month,

Congress must be more liberal in its appropriations to make the necessary additions and improvements.[2]

An Immigrant Family Comes To America to Find Father. the Father Ran To America and Married Another Woman, and a Former Husband Turned Up Unexpectedly. the Family Must Return, and the Difficulty Cleared in the Home Country. the Home Missionary, March 1909. GGA Image ID # 149b4d9f1f

Personal Cleanliness

Every time one visits the detention rooms, he feels that a system of enforced personal cleanliness, such as that in the Municipal Lodging House, would be a blessing.

Bathing facilities are furnished to the detained, but only some avail themselves. All classes and conditions of steerage passengers are herded together in one room — the men in the room to the east, women and children in that to the west.

The garments they wear are those they wore on the voyage, and that peculiar, reeking stench of steerage compartments still clings to them. There are accommodations furnished to wash clothes, but only some of the immigrants have a change of apparel, so it is impossible for them to put on clean garments.

After the custom of southeastern peoples, the men do not undress as they retire for the night—all they do is remove their shoes. When crowding occurs, the same room is occupied day and night.

The combination of odors of twenty different nations is demoralizing, and the effect upon the weak and nervous is profound. Men are detained in these rooms from ten days to as many weeks.

Most of them have not the faintest idea of the value of personal cleanliness, the necessity of changing garments, or the need to keep the room clean.

The installation of a system of compulsory bathing, provision for a change of garments, and more thorough cleansing and disinfecting of their clothes would impress these thousands with the idea that America stands for cleanliness in person and garment.

The Betrayed Polish Girl Who Came to Find Her Lover Is Detained at Ellis Island Pending the Outcome of the Inquiry. The Home Missionary, March 1909. GGA Image ID # 149b8cc9db

Bitter Complaints

Of all the detained men from northwestern Europe, they are the loudest and bitterest in their complaints. A young English artist, who was in straitened circumstances, arrived and was detained for a week under the Contract Labor Law.

His lot was cast in one large room among hundreds of foreign-speaking men of varied ranks and conditions. It was all he could do to stand this confinement without getting sick.

His question was: " Is this the reception America gives Englishmen — to be imprisoned with unwashed foreigners in a room where the air is foul and sickening? When, in the evening, they take off their shoes, it's almost beyond endurance. I stand by the window and spend most of the night out of the berth."

I remember a well-dressed and respectable woman crying bitterly because she was detained. She protested most vigorously about " being put in the same room with Italians, Jews, etc., to sleep with them and to eat at the same table; why could she not go to New York City? She had taken care of herself in London and Melbourne and could do so here."

Scores of English-speaking people thus detained protested vehemently against the promiscuous mingling of races. Scandinavians and Germans also complain. The standards of northwestern Europeans differ widely from those of southeastern Europeans, and they will not dwell amicably together.

If ample room were provided, segregation according to the similarity of tastes might be possible.[3]

Detention, at best, is irksome, and immigrants having pride in a highly developed will complain. Still, it is essential that the quarters wherein they are detained — by their race, whatever it will — should not be a menace to health.

Deportation for Trivial Causes

Many hardships accompany the work of deportation.

Some men are turned back for very trivial reasons. Four Greeks came from Patras, a distance of more than 4,500 miles, and their destination was Canada. The law of that country demands that each immigrant going to a city in the Dominion have $25 in addition to transportation to the destination. Each of these men had $24.37, and the four were rejected.

A score of men, learning of their difficulty, would have gladly supplied the deficiency, but they could not enter. It was suggested that they apply for entrance into the United States, and one of the officials was consulted. His reply was: "We don't take Canada's rejected."

The men were deported for lack of sixty-three cents each, although they were admissible in every other respect. The law of the United States does not specify any particular sum which the immigrant must have, but those who have little money and no friends are deported—the plea advanced is that they are liable to become public charges and have no visible means of subsistence.

Immigrants who lack money are sent to the temporary detained rooms. If they can find a relative who can become their security or who will advance them a reasonable sum of money, they will be admitted.

A young Pole, eighteen years of age, who wanted to go to his brother in Weston, Pa., was detained for lack of money. He was a fine-looking man and would land if he had some cash. Many persons were anxious to help him, but there were four Westons in Pennsylvania, and the question was, to which of these was he destined?

Four letters were written, one to each of the four Westons. Six days passed by, and no reply was received. The representative of the Government Employment Bureau visited the room and offered the young man work. He hesitated and said he wanted to go to his brother.

On the seventh day, he was removed from the deportation room to be sent back to Europe. That day, word was received from his brother, and the young man was saved, just in the nick of time, from deportation.

Women and Children Passing the Time in the Detention Pen in the Cool and Airy Roof Garden at Ellis Island. Leslie's Weekly, 24 October 1907. GGA Image ID # 14d62dae0b

Mistakes of Others

Some men are detained because of others' mistakes. A young immigrant who had $30 in his possession entrusted it to the purser of the ship he came on. The officer forgot to return the money, and the man was detained on the charge of "no money."

One of the missionary agents on the Island believed his story, and the case was taken up with the captain of the steamship. The facts stated by the man were confirmed: the cash was returned, and the immigrant landed.

Another young man was one day found in great distress. He had $20 in foreign money, which he gave to a friend to change for him. One was going to New York, and the other to Chicago.

They were separated, and the distressed young immigrant in the railroad room realized his plight—penniless and with a thousand-mile journey ahead of him. Again, a missionary agent came to the rescue. He ran to the package boat about to start for the Battery, called out the man's name, secured the cash, and returned it to its rightful owner.

Another man was threatened with detention because he had lost his railroad ticket. A thorough search was made in the immigrant railroad room, but to no purpose. He was going to Johnstown and was given the choice of purchasing another ticket or returning to the detention rooms.

There was no way to help the poor man, and from his scant supply of cash, he had to pay $10.50 so that he might continue his journey. A Bulgarian was found in the detention room because, in his confusion, when before the inspector, he could not tell where he was going.[4]

A missionary sat with him for a little while, and soon, the address was found. The case was explained to the proper authority, and the man was landed. Three men were found in the temporary detained quarters because they did not have their medical cards.

The ship officials had neglected to give them these. The cards were procured, but the men lost three days' time through no fault of their own. A young Greek boy was coming to his brother.

The agent who booked him advised the lad to say he was going to his father. He did so. A telegram was sent to his father, but when the reply came, the sender stated that he was not his father but his brother. The boy was deported on the grounds of moral turpitude.

Some are Robbed

Sometimes, an immigrant is robbed of all his money on the voyage. A young man had 200 francs stolen from him on board. He was detained for the want of money. He immediately communicated with his relatives and, after three days' delay, was on his way to his brother.

The most touching cases are those of mothers with little children waiting for word from their husbands inland so that they may proceed. One of these, a Swedish mother with four children, lost her money and the trunk in which the children's clothes were kept—all the little ones possessed were gone. A long journey to the northwest awaited them.

The mother was helpless and in great distress. Still, the matron on the Island and missionaries came to her aid. Proper clothing was secured, and kind-hearted friends contributed sufficient money to enable her to continue the journey.

Trying to Escape

Immigrants are generally willing to do all they can to get off the Island. It is called the "prison," and many are the tears shed by those without hope.

The officials on the Island tell of a Russian who dashed liberty. He escaped the guard's vigilance, plunged into the water, and swam to the Jersey shore. He was captured and deported, being afflicted with a disease that debarred his landing.

Once on the Island, the chances of escape are few. Each must pass the examination prescribed by the government, and many are the friends who are divided. Two bosom friends may cross the ocean; one lands and the other is debarred. This is touching at all times, but when one child in a family cannot enter, and all the members are hoping against hope — then heart-rending cases occur.

A Sad Case

A sad case was that of a woman from Barbados with two children. She was detained for the reason that her husband did not accompany her. Before she could be deported, her two children were taken to the hospital with diphtheria. For six weeks, they were under the care of physicians.

They were discharged, and the mother and children were ready to leave. Before they started, however, the children came down again with scarlet fever and were taken once more to the hospital.

One of the little ones died, and after another six weeks, the other was discharged. Again, they prepared to sail, but before the boat started, the mother was taken to the hospital, and she gave birth to a child.

When she was discharged, the husband wired that he was on his way, so she and her children waited for him to arrive. He then took his wife and children from Ellis Island, where they had lived for five months.

A Runaway Italian Mother and Two Girls. The Home Missionary, March 1909. GGA Image ID # 149af4321d

Mothers Suffer

When a child is taken down with a contagious disease and removed to a particular hospital for these cases, the mother endures a trying ordeal.

She cannot go to the child, give him a drink of cold water, or say a cheering word to the child in her bosom—all she can do is wait, and wait, and wait, and the hours are long, and the days pass so slowly.

One of these mothers, on her way to join her husband in Minnesota, waited for two months for the return of her child; at last, he came, and both mother and child joined the father. But when they don't come back, and the weeping mother has to go without the child of her love, then the heart alone knows its bitterness.

A Peasant Family From Romania Is in Detention on Ellis Island. Undated. National Park Service # 657b97d8. Gga Image ID # 149036c9db

A Family Divided

To see a family divided is a sight few want to witness. Almost every mother with children crossing the ocean does so to join her husband. One of these came with four children, one of whom was pronounced mentally weak and could not enter.

The mother and the other three were physically sound, but deportation was the lot of the youngest child. What would she do, go to her husband in the West or return to her native country with her child? She chose the former.

When the hour of parting came, it was pitiful to see the mother clinging to that little weak one, whom she consigned to a friend to take back to her mother, who would watch over him.

Another touching case was that of a little disabled girl who came to join her family in America. She was told that she could not land. Her father and mother, brothers and sisters, were here; she would be so glad to go to them. The case was taken to Washington, and the humane feeling of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor did the right thing—the girl was landed after a three-week delay.

Some Fraud Practiced

Sometimes, persons refused admission at one port will try another. Ellis Island has the reputation of having a more rigid examination than any other port on the continent. The personal factor in enforcing the law counts for a great deal.

A lady who applied for admission as a steerage passenger in Ellis Island was detained and deported because of a tuberculous condition of the neck glands. As soon as she reached the port of embarkation, she took passage, as a cabin passenger, in another ship destined for another port and landed quickly.

While visiting Canada, the following advertisement fell into my hand: "For a couple of dollars, you can insure your furniture for three years. I am an agent for the Mutual Life Insurance Company in New York. I issue certificates of marriage, licenses, and citizen papers.

You can make all kinds of legal papers and passports and give permits for old or disabled people to land in Canada. You can also provide papers to get into the States, so you will not have to pay the $4. You can do almost anything you need and not charge you too much."

It isn't easy to guard a coastline of 18,000 miles, so speculators will not take their chances to land men who cannot otherwise enter. Of course, these persons are often put into considerable trouble and expense.

A friend of mine living in a small town in Vermont said that the Chinamen in the laundry there changed very often. It is well known that only some groups of immigrants are more capable of making their way into the States than the Chinese, although it costs them large sums of money to open the gates.

I met a stowaway in the detention rooms on Ellis Island who came from Cuba. He was to be deported but said: "Back to the States, I come again." More than 15,000 seamen made good their entrance into the country last year; the traffic continues, for it is one of the most difficult to deal with by law.[5]

Final Discharge From Ellis Island—the Emigrant Shows His Passport and Money and Answers Questions to Ascertain Whether He Is Likely to Become a Charge in the Country, Is Amenable to the Contract Labor Law, Etc. the Maltine Company, Quarantine Sketches, 1902. Gga Image ID # 14ae20fc90

Contract Labor Law

But of all the legal causes of deportation, the Contract Labor Law is the most sweeping. Men who come with an assurance of work, or in other words, a sure means of subsistence, cannot enter; if, on the other hand, the authorities see that they have no visible means of support, they are deported.

All men who sympathize with American workers feel that the purpose of this law is worthy, but the means to attain it is clumsy and crude. In all the volumes written by the Immigration Commission, no saner word is found than the following: " Indeed, it is certain that European immigrants, and particularly those from southern and eastern Europe, are, under a literal construction of the law, for the most part, contract laborers, for it is unlikely that many emigrants embark for the United States without a pretty definite knowledge of where they will go and what they will do if admitted."[6]

This law causes great hardship to many poor people. If a group of persons come with the same address, it is presumptive evidence that they are under contract and should be deported.

Many groups of immigrants from the Balkan States, from whom our newer immigrants come, have suffered as a consequence of this ruling. These people often use a single address because they start from the same town or village and have been in communication with a friend residing at the point of their destination. The friend writes from the store or saloon of a countryman, using his stationery.

This address is sometimes written in one handwriting and on the same paper, for the men are illiterate and cannot write. The agent from whom they bought their tickets accommodated them in this respect.

Many cases of violation of the Contract Labor Law have been uncovered. Still, with thirty-five percent illiteracy among southeastern European men, it would hardly seem reasonable to rule that the same address, in the same handwriting, presented by ten men, is evidence enough to debar them.

Scores of Bulgarian and Macedonian peasants have been deported upon this plea. The authorities believed they violated the Contract Labor Law, but is it, not their innocence to present the same address as presumptive evidence that there was no collusion on their part to defeat the spirit or the letter of the law?

All the deported are poor. They spend money and time crossing the seas, they are detained for days and weeks in Ellis Island, and deportation is a great hardship.

The chances are that the loss each man sustains will impoverish him for life—the savings of years are lost by men who did not know enough to get separate addresses. It would have been great kindness to them if they had been saved the trip across the sea and the anxiety of detention.

Men bent on collusion devise schemes that are not as easily detected as the similarity of addresses. Does the reasoning need to be more equally sound? Does any immigrant have an address prima facie evidence that he has a job in sight?

Immigrants come in answer to America's call for workers, and every letter that contains a steamship ticket or money to secure one also contains an implied or expressed assurance that work awaits the incoming party.

A Broad Net

The words "induce or solicit to migrate to this country by offers or promises of employment or in consequence of agreements, oral, written or printed" give a wide margin to the inspectors and the boards of special inquiry.

A young Englishman with a friend in New York City came as a steerage passenger. He was very anxious to enter, and, fearing deportation because he had no assurance of work, he answered the question: "Do you have any work in view?" by saying, "Yes, my friend said I could get a job."

It cost him a week in the detention room, and his friend spent two days coming to the Island to testify before the board that he was not an employer of labor, that he had no work for the immigrant, but that he was willing to help him find a job.

A Bearded Immigrant Appearing Before a Board of Inquiry at Ellis Island. The Board of Inquiry Determines If a Prospective Immigrant Can Remain in the Country. Photograph by Edwin Levick ca 1907. NYPL # 1693106. GGA Image ID # 14f49b3580

The Board of Inquiry

When the immigrant appears before the board of special inquiry, he must stand alone; he can not get an advocate, and the examination is conducted behind closed doors. When summoned before the board, most immigrants are so confused and excited that they prejudice their case.

In Canada, a young man appearing before the medical examiner became so nervous that he collapsed. He was taken to the hospital and, within a week, under the fatherly care of the physician, was in good shape and admitted.

But under conditions in Ellis Island, when the detention rooms are crowded, what chance has a sensitive and highly strung young man to make a favorable impression on a board that is laboring under the impression that a certain percentage ought to be deported?[7]

These men on the boards of special inquiry are very human. They have their prejudices and their dislikes, as all other men have. Two of the three members decide on a case. Still, the third occasionally serves the immigrant well by giving the suggestion :

" If he appeals, his chances are good to be admitted." Personal factors play an essential part in deportation. The laws regulating the admission of immigrants were the same in 1910-1911 as in the previous two years, but the number of deported in the former period was a hundred percent higher than in the latter.

The record of 50,000[8] immigrants sent back in two years (1910-1911) is unprecedented in immigration history.

The Board of Inquiry. The Men Who Pass Upon the Eligibility of Immigrants to Become Americans. Metropolitan Magazine, February 1899. GGA Image ID # 14c0091008

No Lawyer Allowed

Of course, it is un-American to deprive a man of liberty and happiness without due process of law, but that is done on Ellis Island every time a special inquiry case is tried, and the defendant is forced to be his own advocate.

Alone, in secret session, he must stand trial. No Ameri can be thus treated, and yet our Declaration of Independence affirms that all men are equal—a fundamental fact in our democracy that is belied every time an immigrant is subjected to this process.

He is allowed no advocate, and no friend can appear save at the summons of the board. The character of the boards is well outlined in the words of the Immigration Commission :

"At all the essential ports, the boards of special inquiry are composed of immigrant inspectors, generally without judicial or legal training. This, together with the fact that they are selected by the commissioners of immigration at the ports where they serve, tends to impair the judicial character of the board and to influence its members in a greater or lesser degree to reflect in their decisions the attitude of the commissioner in determining the cases.

The character of their decisions is indicated by the fact that nearly fifty percent of the cases appealed are reversed by the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, whose decision, under the law, must be based solely upon the evidence adduced before the board.

This record of reversals on appeal suggests that their not reviewed decisions may be equally wrong."

To provide justice to the immigrants and the country, these boards' character should be improved. They should be composed of men whose ability and training fit them for the judicial functions performed, and the provision compelling their hearings to be separate and apart from the public should be repealed."[9]

Traffic in Boys

The traffic in boys—especially Greek boys—in recent years has given the boards some of the most perplexing and trying cases to decide. It isn't easy to find out the truth about this underground traffic.

The immigrant is carefully trained, and the subtle brain that plans the collusion hides behind the screen. The inspectors cannot detect the fraud, although they are fairly well convinced that it is there if they could only go a little deeper. I saw six Greek boys on Ellis Island, all under fourteen years of age, who said they had come to their fathers.

The six were detained and brought before the board of special inquiry. Out of curiosity, I took the address of two of these boys to see the shelter the fathers had to offer the lads. The men lived in wretched quarters in the tenement district of New York City.

The board decided that it was not good for lads, at so tender an age, to leave their mothers, come to a strange country, and be consigned to their fathers. They needed their mothers, and back to them, they must go. The judgment was a benevolent one.

Three Women on Bench Held at Ellis Island--Undesirable Emigrants to Be Taken Back by Steamship Company That Brought Them. c1902. Library of Congress # 93512789. GGA Image ID # 13ebcabf56

Difficult Cases

The boards have no sinecure. Some complicated cases are brought up that exact the greatest understanding and patience at their command. Cases of prostitutes are about as hard as any.

I saw a girl, apparently all right in every respect, in tears because she was detained. She had no friend or relative to whom to go. She was twenty-five years old and quick-witted. The authorities consigned her to the care of one of the missionaries stationed on the Island. She stayed in the missionary home for a couple of weeks and then left.

The missionary was responsible to the Commissioner and kept track of her charge. Not a month had passed before ample evidence was secured to deport her. When the authorities are suspicious of young women who come in, they follow the cases, and the government's arm is a long one.

In one instance, it reached clear across the continent. Finally, it deported two demimondes, to whom the detective said, " There was no trick they did not know." Still, it took six months of silent hunt to secure evidence.

Men's Ward — in the New Hospital Building at Ellis Island. The Maltine Company, Quarantine Sketches, 1902. GGA Image ID # 14adb8a33e

The Hospital a Blessing

The hospital service on Ellis Island is a Godsend to many. No matter what disease attacks the immigrant, he is treated without money and price.

Some unfortunate cases are recorded. Many treatments are highly complimentary to the skill and knowledge of the men in charge. A Scotchman doubled up with pain, was taken to the hospital. The attack came on suddenly while the man was waiting for the train.

He had left a wife and bairns in Scotland and was very solicitous about them. We wrote letters to the wife for him, and every time the poor fellow thought of his plight and his beloved ones across the sea, he could hardly control his feelings.

When the day of dismissal came, and he could continue his journey, his gratitude for the kindness he had received was beautiful. However, he could not find language strong enough to express his appreciation of how America had treated him.

This case is typical. When they land, patients treated and healed are thankful for the Christian kindness and treatment they have received in this institution. A foreign-speaking man who had some chest trouble was under the physicians' care for some weeks.

The case was a complicated one, and a surgical operation was required. The man got well and was landed. To see his gratitude and the expression of thankfulness on his face was the best deliverance one could ever witness on the blessing of practical philanthropy.

The hospital renders the highest-quality services to immigrants, and we are safe in stating that all who leave it are favorably impressed with America.

Examining Eyes on the Line at Ellis Island. The Popular Science Monthly, January 1913. GGA Image ID # 14e304831a

Ellis Island Interesting

There is no place more interesting in New York City than Ellis Island, and the machinery is admirably adapted to do the work. There are many hardships incident to the enforcement of the laws, but in the nature of the case, it cannot be otherwise. It is a " Babelmandel " — a gate of tears—to many.

There are also some humorous cases. Deputy Hurley of Boston tells of the arrival of a young woman detained because of an affection of the eyes. A young Jew secured a pass to see her and then busied himself to secure her admission.

After the first few days' vain effort, he asked permission to bring in a friend to see her. The request was promptly granted. The friend came, tarried awhile, and left. No sooner was he gone than the young Hebrew appealed to the Commissioner to allow his wife to land.

The friend he brought was a Rabbi who performed the matrimonial ceremony. The young man, being a citizen of the United States, had a right to marry his wife, and the Commissioner was helpless to refuse his appeal.

Kindness Pays

There are many trials at the gate; some are unavoidable because of the law's enforcement, and others are avoidable if the necessities of all immigrants are met. Each of the detained ought to be given a fair trial by competent men.

The first impression made upon the immigrant is lasting; if it is unfavorable, the effect upon the nation is far-reaching, and it develops to be a source of mischief in industrial and social relations; if it is favorable, a million hearts will be predisposed to friendliness and sympathy with all that is American.

On no other occasion in the life of the immigrant, the United States government will have as favorable an opportunity to influence him for good as when he lands.

He is receptive and ambitious to please. He asks for bread; we should not give him a stone. Money spent in giving him as just and generous a reception as possible is well spent; it is a seed planted that will ripen to good citizenship and bring forth a hundredfold in coming years.

End Notes

1 "Frequently, there are as many as 1800 or 2000, and yet there are not over 1800 beds on Ellis Island, almost all in tiers of three each. In the most prominent men's dormitory, the beds number 432 and the passageway width between each line of tiers is only 2 feet.

When all the beds are occupied, as they are frequently, the congestion in this room is very great, and since it has only an easterly exposure, the temperature on summer nights may be 100°.

"In addition, the ventilation is very imperfect. Unfortunately, it is necessary to use it also as a day room. However, being saddled with beds is appropriate for this purpose. It is often necessary to detain occupants of this room for a week, especially those excluded since the lines bringing them usually send out their steamers only once a week. The conditions in the other large dormitories are not unlike those just described." — Pages 4-5, Annual Report of the Commissioner of Immigration for the Port of New York.

2 Hon. William Williams, Commissioner of Immigration at Ellis Island, has asked Congress for an appropriation of $788,000 for improvements necessary for efficient service in Ellis Island. See Annual Report, 1911.

3 "It is also to be remembered that the habits of some immigrants are clean, of others filthy. The two kinds object seriously to detention in the same room. Those with clean habits often say unpleasant things to others. Yet, due to the lack of space, we cannot separate them as they should be separated." — Pages 4-5, Annual Report of the Commissioner of Immigration for the Port of New York.

4 All immigrants must have an address or destination. Of the new immigrants, 97 percent of the total admitted were destined to relatives and friends, and of the old immigrants, 89.4 percent. — " Emigration Conditions in Europe," p. 30.

5 See the abstract report on "Alien Seamen and Stowaways" by the Immigration Commission.

6 "Emigration Conditions in Europe," p. 31, by Immigration Commission.

7 "The time has come when it is necessary to put aside false sentimentality in dealing with the question of immigration and to give more consideration to its racial and economic aspects and, in determining what additional immigrants we shall receive, to remember that our first duty is to our country." — Page 16, Annual Report of the Commissioner of Immigration for the Port of New York. The fact that the port commissioner selects the members of the board of special inquiry tends' to " influence its members in a greater or less degree to reflect in their decisions the attitude of the commissioner in determining the cases." — Immigration Commission: "Conclusions and Recommendations," p. 24.

8 See note in addenda on " Debarred and Deported."

9 See " Conclusions and Recommendations," p. 24, by Immigration Commission.

Peter Roberts, Ph.D., The New Immigration: A Study of the Industrial and Social Life of Souteastern Europeans in America, Part I: Inducements and Impressions, Chapter II: The Trials at the Gate, New York: The MacMillan Company, 1912, pp. 18-32.

Conclusion

The trials faced by immigrants at Ellis Island were emblematic of the broader struggles associated with the immigrant experience in early 20th-century America. The rigorous inspections, coupled with the emotional toll of uncertainty and potential separation from loved ones, underscored the complexity of the immigration process. The article highlights the need for empathy and reform in addressing the harsh realities faced by these hopeful newcomers.

Key Points

• 🚪 Rigorous Inspections: Immigrants underwent strict medical and legal inspections upon arrival, which determined their fate in the U.S.
• 😟 Emotional Strain: The process was emotionally taxing, with immigrants facing fear, anxiety, and uncertainty about their future.
• 👥 Family Separations: Many families were at risk of being separated due to health or legal issues.
• 📋 Legal and Bureaucratic Challenges: Immigrants often encountered legal hurdles and complex bureaucracy that could delay or prevent their entry.
• 🏥 Health Examinations: Health inspections were a major part of the process, with immigrants screened for contagious diseases and other health conditions.
• 💔 Fear of Rejection: The constant fear of being rejected and sent back to their home country loomed large for many immigrants.
• 🛡️ Protection and Advocacy: The article notes the efforts of various aid organizations and individuals who sought to help and advocate for detained immigrants.
• 🌍 Diverse Experiences: The experiences of immigrants varied widely, depending on their background, health, and legal status.
• 🔍 Insight into Immigration Policy: The article provides insight into the U.S. immigration policies of the time and their impact on individuals.
• 🕊️ Calls for Reform: The narrative suggests a need for reform in the immigration system to make it more humane and just.

Summary

1. Introduction to Immigrant Challenges: The article details the rigorous inspections and emotional strain faced by immigrants arriving at Ellis Island in 1912.
2. Health and Legal Inspections: Immigrants were subjected to strict health examinations and legal scrutiny, which often determined their ability to enter the U.S.
3. Emotional and Psychological Toll: The process was emotionally draining, with immigrants fearing rejection and separation from family members.
4. Family Separations: Many families were at risk of being separated due to health issues or legal complications.
5. Legal and Bureaucratic Hurdles: Immigrants encountered complex legal challenges and bureaucracy that could delay or prevent their entry.
6. Fear of Deportation: The constant threat of being sent back to their country of origin added to the stress and uncertainty.
7. Support and Advocacy: Various organizations and individuals provided support and advocacy for immigrants facing detention or deportation.
8. Diverse Immigrant Experiences: The experiences of immigrants varied based on their health, legal status, and background.
9. Insight into Immigration Policies: The article provides a glimpse into the U.S. immigration policies of the early 20th century and their impact on newcomers.
10. Call for Reform: The article highlights the need for immigration reform to address the harsh realities faced by immigrants and to ensure a more humane process.