Immigrant
Processing
Ellis
Island: Port of Immigration, Main Floor
The majority of
our family members who wished to immigrate into the United
States did so through Ellis Island. There they had to undergo
a rigorous inspection process, as the United States allowed in
only those people they felt wouldn't be a burden to the country.
For first- and
second-class passengers, the immigration officers would
actually come on board the ship and examine the passengers upon
arrival. For those in third-class, or steerage, they would
often have to wait for days before disembarking. At that time
they would have to board a barge-like vessel, neither heated
in the winter, nor cooled in summer, which would take them to
the Island itself. There they would wait until groups of
perhaps thirty at a time would disembark and enter into the
main building to begin the inspection process. |