From the Old Homeland to the New Homeland – The Island
(Dr. Gábor Szénégető)
From a distance of some one hundred and twenty years, only contemporary documents inform us that after the ocean liners arrived in New York, crowds of people—including those who had emigrated from Gönc—were transported from the docking area to Ellis Island, the “Federal Inspection Station,” in smaller groups by ferry or barge. For a long time, it was also called the “Island of Immigrants” and the “Island of Tears.” Despite these expressive names, the overwhelming majority of Hungarian immigrants were treated politely and with respect.
It is almost unbelievable that this tiny island—covering scarcely one-tenth of a square kilometer—saw twelve million people pass through over six decades. Nearly half of today’s residents of the United States can claim that at least one of their ancestors first set foot on American soil here.
In the final years of the 19th century, under America’s strong pull as a destination, the federal government decided to establish an organized inspection station to process the rapidly growing number of immigrants. Thus, in 1892, in New York’s Upper Bay, on another small island adjacent to Liberty Island—home of the Statue of Liberty—this institution was opened on Ellis Island to screen and register immigrants arriving from Europe. They were released only if they fully complied with immigration laws.
In practice, authorities excluded only about two percent of arriving immigrants from entry. The most common reason for exclusion was the diagnosis of a contagious disease that threatened public health, or concern on the part of a legal inspector that the immigrant might become a public charge or an illegal laborer. If immigrants failed to meet the legal requirements, they were brought before a special on-site court. If the court ruled against them, their only option was to appeal to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Labor.
Surprisingly, in the vast majority of cases—around eighty percent—appeals against exclusion were decided in favor of the immigrants. According to regulations, appeal procedures were completed within a maximum of ten days, during which time the individuals concerned received free accommodation and meals on Ellis Island.
For a long time, the institution made the impression of a model complex for newcomers, as it was equipped with every conceivable facility to ease the immigrants’ transition to life in America. According to descriptions, newly arrived passengers waited in a large hall for several hours—and in worse years, even one or two days, sometimes sleeping on the floor or on their modest bundles—before immigration officials heard their cases. If an immigrant’s documents were in order and they were in relatively good health, the inspection process was completed within three to five hours.
Inspections took place in the registry hall (the Great Hall). By the early 20th century, physicians working on the “Ellis Island line” had acquired outstanding expertise and experience, and by 1907—the peak year of immigration—the examinations had become extremely efficient. First and foremost, general health conditions were assessed, and immigrants were asked whether they possessed enough cash—20 to 25 dollars—to sustain themselves during their first weeks. Those who lacked even this amount, were found to have tuberculosis, or were deemed physically disabled (a negligible percentage fell into this category) were sent back to Europe on the same ship that had brought them.
Prospective immigrants were required to answer twenty-nine questions. During the procedure, legal inspectors relied on the ship’s manifest completed at the port of departure.
On Ellis Island, the currency exchange office, ticket office, baggage forwarding service, food vendors, and agencies representing immigration brokerage companies all operated under the direct supervision of the immigration authorities. In this way, the American state ensured that immigrants were not exploited while staying on the island.
Contemporary accounts also note that first- and second-class passengers on ocean liners were not subjected to the same immigration inspection. Instead, they underwent only a superficial check aboard the ship and were then free to proceed directly to any state in America. The theory was that anyone who could afford an expensive ticket was likely well-off and less likely to become a public burden for health or legal reasons.
Former Hungarian emigrants—including the adventurous citizens of Gönc—largely entered the United States through the port of New York aboard ships of the Cunard Line, passing through Ellis Island. According to documents, some also targeted other cities, including Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, San Francisco, and New Orleans, traveling on steamships of the White Star Line, Red Star Line, Holland America Line, and Hamburg America Line.
Today, in the “New Homeland,” the story of the American dream, the journey, and arrival is commemorated by the National Immigration Museum and the American Family Immigration History Center, both operating on Ellis Island.
Article: Gábor Szénégető
Images:
Arriving of Immigrants at Ellis Island, New York, photo by Edwin Levick, c. 1905;
Ellis Island, 1905 / The Immigration Station at Ellis Island in Upper New York Bay, 1905. Poster Print by Granger Collection
Sources: meisterdrucke.fr; posterazzi.com; statueofliberty.org; epa.oszk.hu
Literature:
American Passage – The History of Ellis Island (statueofliberty.org);
Márton Pelles: Reports of Dr. Emil Tauffer (1905) and Ernő Roediger (1907) on Emigration between Fiume and New York, published in AETAS, Vol. 34 (2019), No. 2.
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