Immigrants at Ellis Island, 1902.

Sometimes the argument goes like this…Hey! Let the illegal immigrants slide, give them amnesty. Hey! we were all illegal immigrants at one time. Whoa! My parents didn’t come into the country under the fence.

My Mom and Dad came in through Ellis Island, just about everyone came through Ellis Island. Under the fence? What was the difference? When you came through Ellis Island where you might be required to be quarantined for health reasons there, your name and other info was entered into a book. If the official couldn’t pronounce your last name, he truncated it or give you a new name made up on the spot. But you were in the book, registered so to speak, maybe the proper term would be “listed” in the book, then you were let into the country.

What went from there, exactly, I don’t know. I do know my Mom and Dad went in the evenings to the nearby elementary school, in the town where they decided to live, went there in order to learn the American English language. After that, they went to the county courthouse, I think, did their stuff, swore allegiance to their new country and became citizens. That, I think, was the way it worked a long time ago. I was curious about Ellis Island, so I checked it out and would like to share its history with you.

The following is from Wikipedia:

Ellis Island, at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor, was at one time the main entry facility for immigrants entering the United States from January 1, 1892 until November 12, 1954.

Ellis Island was one of 30 processing stations opened by the federal government. It was the major processing station for third class/steerage immigrants entering the United States in 1892; it processed 70% of all immigrants at the time.

Wealthy immigrants that traveled first class and second class would get automatic entry into the United States. Those who did not travel first or second class had to pass a six second physical examination. Those with visible health problems or diseases were sent home or held in the island’s hospital facilities for long periods of time. Then they were asked 29 questions including name, occupation, and the amount of money they carried with them.

Generally those immigrants who were approved spent from three to five hours at Ellis Island … Some unskilled workers and immigrants were rejected outright because they were considered “likely to become a public charge.” About 2 percent were denied admission to the U.S. and sent back to their countries of origin for reasons such as chronic contagious disease, criminal background, or insanity.

After the 1924 “Quota Laws” placed restrictions on immigration, the United States government began processing immigrants in its embassies and consulates of the emigrant country.

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