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Destination: Ellis Island, Immigrant Lists |
Journey by Sea: Voyage of Opportunity |
U.S. Immigration Policy: A Short History |
A Multitude of Immigrants |
Castle Garden and Ellis Island: Port sof Immigration |
Health and Immigration |
HIAS : Hebrew Aid Immigrant Society |
Castle Garden: The First Entry Point to America |
In 1891, the
federal government took over control of immigration into the United Sates. In
New York, this meant that the immigration center in New York Harbor, called Castle
Garden, previously run by the state, would be closed down, and Ellis Island
would be built. The Congress passed laws that would affect those trying to
immigrate from overseas, but did nothing to prevent anyone from crossing the
borders from either Mexico or Canada. Once the purview of the state, the
government now assumed the burden of providing services for the new immigrant.
Immigration reached its
peak in 1906. Then, in 1924, with a new immigration law in effect, those
wanting to enter the U.S. had to visit the U.S. consulate in their own
country to obtain a visa. There they would be screened, eliminating the
necessity for Ellis Island to do so. By the time Ellis Island had
stopped processing new immigrants, twelve million arrivals had passed
through its doors. |
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