Ellis Island Vs. Angel Island
Ellis Island and Angel island were both immigration stations in the United States, but they were very different experiences...Check out how they contrast!
Ellis Island
- In New York City Harbor
- Primarily European immigrants
- Given physical exam
- Documents checked to make sure the immigrant hasn't committed a felony
- Don't endure harsh questioning
- Only contained for a day or two
- Not subject to racial discrimination
- Sanitary
- Not hard to pass through
- Between 1892 and 1924, around 17 million immigrants came throught Ellis Island
Angel Island
- In San Fransisco Bay
- Primarily for Asian immigrants
- Detained for sometimes up to 2 years
- Endure harsh questioning, terrible interrogators
- Many immigrants had to use a paper relative to get into the United States
- Because of this, they had to go through bizarre questioning such as "Who owns the furniture in your home?" to try and weed out the people who actually had a relative in the U.S, and those who were using a paper one
- Many people committed suicide while waiting to gain access to the U.S
- Actually a graveyard there for those who died
- Mr. Leung, who immigrated here from china in 1936 commented about Angel Island saying-"My deepest impression of Angel Island now was the rudeness of the white interrogators. They kept saying, "Come on, answer,answer!" They kept rushing me to answer until i couldn't remember the answer anymore."--this shows how difficult it was for immigrants passing through Angel Island.
- Paper sons and daughters