The Inspection and Registration of Immigrants: The Ellis Island Process of 1906
📌 Explore the systematic inspection process immigrants underwent at Ellis Island in 1906, from health screenings to bureaucratic registration. Learn about the challenges and procedures involved in determining who could enter America during a time of high immigration.
The Inspection and Registration of Immigrants (1906)
Overview and Relevance to Immigration Studies 🌍📘
The article "The Inspection and Registration of Immigrants" from 1906 provides an in-depth and comprehensive look into the immigration process at Ellis Island. It details the systematic and rigorous inspection procedures that immigrants underwent upon their arrival in the United States, highlighting the crucial role of the Immigration Bureau, the varied steps of inspection, and the challenges posed by such a large influx of newcomers. The piece is highly relevant for teachers, students, genealogists, historians, and immigration scholars, offering insights into the methods of processing immigrants at Ellis Island during the early 20th century.
The article’s value lies in its practical descriptions of the examination process, the immigrant experience, and the types of scrutiny that immigrants faced. It also sheds light on the human side of immigration — from the physical inspections to the bureaucratic procedures immigrants navigated in hopes of starting a new life in America. Historians and genealogists will find this article valuable in understanding the conditions of their immigrant ancestors, while teachers can use it as a resource to teach about early 20th-century immigration and the policies that shaped the American workforce.
Immigrants Land at Ellis Island. GGA Image ID # 1f22039953
Immigration and Its Effects Upon The United States (Note 90)
The systematic and uniform examination of aliens began with the establishment of the Immigration Bureau in 1891. Under the present law, the Commissioner-General, a figure of significant authority, has general supervision of the administration of immigration matters. He can detail officers to visit penal and charitable institutions and ascertain the number of aliens therein. He may send officers abroad to study the conditions of immigration. (Note 91)
The Commissioner-General is under the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, or practically, one of the assistant Secretaries of that department. The Secretary appoints all immigration officers and employees and fixes their compensation.
Even though the Bureau has existed for fifteen years, the inspection of immigrants is a complex and varied process that differs at the different ports, according to the number to be inspected, the importance of the port, and the physical accommodations for such service.
Since three-fourths of all aliens pass through the port of New York, a brief description of the practical inspection method may be interesting.
Registry Hall at Ellis Island. GGA Image ID # 1f21f50997
When a ship arrives in New York harbor, telegraphic notice of its entrance is sent ahead, and the vessel is boarded by the State quarantine inspectors, immigration inspectors, and surgeons.
The State authorities first examine for diseases that would subject the vessel to quarantine, and the immigration inspectors and Marine Hospital officers examine all the first and second cabin passengers. The examination of cabin passengers is comparatively recent and was necessitated by the fact that many inadmissible aliens undertook to travel in the second cabin to avoid inspection.
In examining passengers, inspectors can use their discretion to ask any or all of the questions on the manifests and can avoid absurd and unnecessary inquiries. Upon completing the cabin inspection, the ship's surgeon reports any persons in the ship's hospital. If advisable, these are presently transferred to the immigrant hospital.
Inspection Room at Ellis Island. GGA Image ID # 1f21aeb1d6
The steerage passengers and any other aliens the inspectors hold are then taken with their baggage upon barges and carried to Ellis Island. They enter a large general room separated from the rest of the building by iron gratings.
The main hall on the second floor is also divided lengthwise by gratings into a series of parallel passageways. Before reaching these, however, immigrants have to pass in single file before two surgeons of the Marine Hospital Service, stationed a little distance apart, who divide the inspection between them, one examining general physique and the other for trachoma.
Any doubtful individuals are held for a more thorough physical examination, and idiots, insane, and diseased persons are certified as such. Minor defects are noted on the immigrant's card mentioned below, which he has already received on the ship and passed along for general inspection.
Detained Immigrants in a Waiting Room at Ellis Island. GGA Image ID # 1f21557e26
The women are examined individually by a matron or her assistants, whose business it is to ascertain whether or not they are pregnant. This increases the probability of their becoming public charges unless they can produce satisfactory evidence that they will be taken care of and supported.
Persons with loathsome or dangerous contagious diseases, people with epilepsy, idiots, insane persons, and those physically defective so that they are liable to become public charges, and pregnant women are at once held for examination before a board of special inquiry.
The remaining immigrants are then segregated into columns passing down the passageways above. On the steamer, each immigrant is given a card with his name and a number or letter indicating the particular manifest on which his name appears. In marshaling immigrants for examination by the inspectors, care is taken that those appearing on the same manifest shall proceed along the same passageway.
Women Immigrants are Examined by the Doctors at Ellis Island. GGA Image ID # 1f211c2393
Female Physician Examines a Woman at Ellis Island. GGA Image ID # 1f20955b15
Inspection Card for Immigrants and Steerage Passengers on the RMS Oceanic, Departing Liverpool for New York on 5 June 1901 and Arriving in New York Ellis ISland on 14 June 1901. GGA Image ID # 1f1d2c323c
Immigrant Inspection Card Containing the Immigrant's Name and Location on the Passenger Manifest
At the end of each passageway is a desk where an immigrant inspector sits. When the alien reaches the inspector, he produces his card, and the officer finds his name on the manifest.
The immigrant is then asked substantially the same questions he had already answered when the manifest was prepared, and any discrepancies between his answers and the statements on the manifest are noted in red ink on the latter.
Immigrant Responding to Questions at an Inspector's Desk at Ellis Island. GGA Image ID # 1f1f04aec2
At this time, the immigrant is also required to show the amount of money he has in his possession, which is also noted on the manifest. In general, at this primary inspection, which is the only one to which nine-tenths of all immigrants are ever subjected, steps still need to be taken to ascertain whether the answers given are correct; indeed, such verification is often impossible. This highlights the crucial need for thorough historical research to understand the immigration inspection process.
Thus, while it would be comparatively easy to ascertain whether an immigrant could read or write, it is utterly impossible to determine if he has been a convict, whether he is a polygamist or anarchist, or, unless his appearance indicates it, whether he has been insane within five years previous. This underscores the significant challenge and complexity in determining certain aspects of an immigrant's history.
New Immigrants Landing at Battery Park after taking Ferry from Ellis Island. GGA Image ID # 1f1f5438ab
In the main, if the answers given appear truthful, if the immigrant is of sound physical appearance, and, considering his ability to work and his age, sex, and occupation, if he has money to support him until he can find employment, he is immediately passed.
However, if the inspector doubts his right to land, his card is marked " S. I." He is detained before a board of special inquiry (Note 92) and taken to another part of the building.
Those who are not detained pass into another room, where they can have their money changed into United States currency, buy tickets to their destination, and obtain information about proceeding on their way.
Quite frequently, the right of persons to land depends upon the existence and responsibility of some other person, such as a husband or parent, whom the immigrant is to join. For this reason, the immigrant may also be detained, and then a telegram is sent to the friend or relative requesting him to come and take the new arrival away.
Railroad Ticket Office at Ellis Island. GGA Image ID # 1f1f709c4a
Immigrants also have the assistance of the representatives of the missionary and charitable societies of the various races allowed on the Island. These societies provide work for aliens after landing, assist in finding their relatives and friends, and are, in many ways, useful.
The immigrants permitted to land, who have obtained all necessary information, exchanged their money, and are otherwise ready, are taken on board the ferry boat that runs every hour and landed at the Battery.
Those destined for points outside of New York City are looked after until they take their trains to protect them from all kinds of crooks, sharpers, agents of the padrone, and boarding-house keepers.
Provisions are made at Ellis Island for the thorough disinfection of clothing and baggage and for feeding and caring for immigrants during their detention. The present buildings at Ellis Island, erected two or three years ago, need to be revised to meet the needs of the enormous influx of the last few years.
Immigrants Are Served a Meal at Ellis Island. GGA Image ID # 1f2065baa7
In summer, spaces on the roof are reserved for detained immigrants so that they may enjoy the advantages of outdoor air and sunlight. The sleeping quarters are walled and floored with concrete, the bedsteads are iron, allowing the most thorough disinfection, and the bedding is frequently sterilized.
In addition to the main buildings and power plant, Ellis Island also has a hospital where immigrants afflicted with dangerous contagious diseases can be quarantined, and those suffering from any disease can be treated.
In some instances, where a disease is curable, and the immigrant will join a husband or parent, he can remain in the hospital until cured. In other cases, they are treated until deported. The government feeds detained immigrants at the expense of the steamship companies for about thirty cents a day for each person. (Note 95)
Immigrants being Held at Ellis Island for Return to Their Country of Origin. GGA Image ID # 1f207433eb
Alien seamen are not subject to inspection when they land with the intention of reshipping on an outward-bound vessel as soon as possible, but discharged or deserting seamen are to be treated like other aliens.
Under a ruling of the Attorney-General, made in 1903, Chinese seamen may be landed in the United States to be signed to American vessels. This not only opens the door to violations of the Chinese Exclusion Acts but also violates the spirit of the contract labor laws. (Note 97)
Notes and References
90 Cp. Dr. Allan McLaughlin, in Popular Science Monthly, vol. 66, pp. 357-361 (Feb. 1905); Report of the Commission appointed by the President to investigate the condition of the Immigrant Station at Ellis Island (1904).
91 Act of March 3, 1903, Section 22.
92 Act of March 3, 1903, section 24.
95 The average cost to the steamship companies of detained immigrants, in proportion to the whole number of immigrants carried by them, varies from 6 cents to 22 cents. The Hamburg-American, Prince and Ho
lland-American Companies pay the largest amounts; the Scandinavian and White Star Companies the smallest. See Report of the Commissioner-General of Immigration, 1904, p. 102.
97 In Report of the Commissioner-General of Immigration, 1903, p. 105.
Hall, Prescott F., A.B., LL.B., American Public Problems: Immigration and Its Effects Upon the United States, Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1906
Photographs Courtesy of the National Archives
Immigrant Inspection Card from the Immigration Collection of the Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives
Key Highlights and Engaging Content ✨
The Role of Ellis Island in Immigration Processing 🏙️📋
The article opens by describing Ellis Island as the bustling gateway for immigrants arriving in New York Harbor. The significance of this port in processing three-fourths of all immigrants arriving in the U.S. makes it a focal point of study for understanding immigration history. The depiction of immigrants landing and the logistical challenges of their inspection helps set the stage for the rest of the article.
📸 Noteworthy Image: "Immigrants Land at Ellis Island" — This photograph provides a powerful visual context, showing the moment of arrival at Ellis Island, the first step in a long journey for the immigrants.
Detailed Description of the Inspection Process 🩺📑
The article provides an in-depth breakdown of the inspection process that all arriving immigrants underwent. From the initial health screenings by State quarantine inspectors to the detailed physical examinations by Marine Hospital Service surgeons, the article highlights how health and mental fitness were critical factors in determining whether immigrants could enter the country.
📚 Key Insight: The mention of trachoma screenings as a major concern for officials underlines the importance of health regulations during this period, as contagious diseases were a primary concern in controlling the influx of immigrants.
📸 Noteworthy Image: "Inspection Room at Ellis Island" — This image of the inspection room adds to the understanding of the physical layout and process immigrants went through during their examination.
Challenges of Verifying Immigrant Information 🔍📝
The article underscores the difficulty in verifying immigrant histories during the primary inspection. Immigrants were asked to provide answers to various questions that were already recorded on their manifests, but verifying some of this information, such as criminal history, mental illness, or political affiliations, was nearly impossible at the time.
📚 Engaging Content: The discrepancies that could arise between the immigrant's answers and the official records demonstrate the challenges immigration inspectors faced in maintaining accuracy. This is an essential point for historians and genealogists studying immigrant ancestors, as historical records often contain errors or incomplete information.
The Importance of the Special Inquiry Board 👩⚖️🛂
For those who were doubted or flagged as possibly unfit for entry, they were sent before a Board of Special Inquiry. This was a crucial step where officials would examine more complex cases. This system of review ensured that only qualified individuals were allowed to enter, while others were either detained or deported.
📚 Key Insight: The article notes that even pregnant women were scrutinized to determine if they would become public charges, revealing the social concerns and economic policies surrounding immigration during this period.
📸 Noteworthy Image: "Immigrant Responding to Questions at an Inspector’s Desk at Ellis Island" — This image powerfully illustrates the personal experience of immigrants being questioned and vetted by the officials.
Immigrants' Journey After Passing Inspection 🚉🛳️
The process didn’t end after passing the medical and bureaucratic hurdles. Once cleared, immigrants had to exchange their currency, buy railroad tickets, and sometimes wait until relatives could verify their information. The article emphasizes how the government worked with charitable organizations to ensure immigrants’ safety as they continued their journey across the U.S.
📸 Noteworthy Image: "Railroad Ticket Office at Ellis Island" — The image of immigrants buying tickets at Ellis Island helps capture the logistical aspect of immigrant settlement, showcasing how transportation networks were closely integrated with the immigration process.
The Role of Charitable Societies ❤️🌍
The article briefly mentions the charitable and missionary societies that assisted immigrants with work placements, finding relatives, and adapting to life in the U.S. This aspect of the immigration system provides an empathetic view of the challenges immigrants faced and the support networks that existed to help them.
📚 Key Insight: The collaboration between the government and private organizations was vital in helping immigrants integrate into society without falling prey to exploitative practices.
Educational and Historical Insights 📘🎓
For Teachers and Students: This article is a great teaching resource to help students understand the immigration system in the early 20th century. It can serve as the foundation for discussions on immigration law, public health concerns, and the role of government agencies in regulating migration.
For Genealogists: The article offers insights into the process that immigrants likely went through during their arrival at Ellis Island. This can help genealogists understand the context in which their immigrant ancestors may have arrived in the U.S. and the official documentation that was recorded.
For Historians: This article provides a valuable look at the complexity of immigration policy during a time when America was experiencing a massive influx of immigrants. It also reveals the social dynamics and concerns that shaped immigration law, including public health, economic welfare, and national security.
Final Thoughts 🌟
The Inspection and Registration of Immigrants (1906) provides an essential snapshot of the immigration process at Ellis Island, showcasing the intricacies of health checks, bureaucratic procedures, and human experiences that shaped America’s approach to immigration in the early 20th century. This article is a valuable resource for those interested in immigration history, policy analysis, and understanding the lives of immigrants who passed through Ellis Island.
It underscores the complexity and humanity behind the bureaucratic systems that allowed millions of immigrants to become part of the fabric of the United States.
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