Third Stop: Immigration Station

Third stop on our field trip is the Angel Island Immigration Station.


When the immigration station at Angel Island first opened in 1910, the new detention facility was considered ideal because of its isolation from others. There were buildings to house and care for detainees, a pier, and regular boat service to the mainland. During the next 30 years, this was the point of entry for most of the approximately 175,000 Chinese immigrants who came to the United States. The average time period that detainees were held on Angel Island was anywhere from two to six weeks, but unfortunately, for some, they were held for as long as two whole years.

Interrogations that were held at the station could sometimes take a long time to be completed. While these interrogations were taking place, many of the immigrants wrote poems in their own language to express their feelings of what was happening around them. Its interesting because even to this day, a few of the poems that were written into the wooden walls are still there and able to be read.

Today, most visitors to Angel Island find the Immigration Station a place of reflection. While often called the Ellis Island of the West, the Angel Island Immigration Station, was in fact quite different. Arrivals at Ellis Island were welcomed to this country, by the near by Statue of Liberty and screened primarily for medical reasons leaving an average of 2-3 hours of arriving. At Angel Island, the objective was to exclude new arrivals, the memories of many returning visitors are therefore bittersweet. A museum has been established in the old barracks building. It includes a re-creation of one of the dormitories, and highlights some of the poems that were carved into the station's walls.

--Many immigrants came to the United States to flee from problems going on in other countries or perhaps to join family members that have already made the journey to America. The purpose of the immigration station was to ask the newcomers questions about why they were here and to investigate if they should stay or not. This process was horribly unfair and as you can imagine, very emotional for the immigrants. In your journal, reflect on what you have learned about this process in the immigration journey.



This video talks about the immigration station on Angel Island and what types of things it was used for back when immigrants came to the island. It shows a lot of great images so we can see what it looked like on the inside and out.



Another video about the process of Angel Island Immigration Station...