For millions of Migrants that came about In the United States, first contact with land occurred on a small island in the late 19th and early 20th centuries new York. This place is Ellis Islandwhere the call began American dream and whose story today forms an essential part of the country’s migrant memory.
According to the Library of Congress, Ellis Island was created in response to a social and administrative crisis caused by the deterioration of Castle gardenthe former fortress that served as a processing center for immigrants in New York.
At this point the castle garden was created a hotbed of corruption and crimewhere the newcomers became victims Fraud and theft before you can complete your immigration procedures.
Given this situation, the The federal government took control of the immigration process and modern facilities built Ellis Islandis located in New York Harbor and was designed specifically for Receiving, checking and registering immigrants.
Immigration office on Ellis Island ran for about 40 years and became a new model of government institution. During this time they crossed the island around 12 million migrants and on the busiest days they processed up to 5000 people daily
Especially for many American families Italian originEllis Island represented the first chapter of its history in the country.
If the The first group of immigrants landed on Ellis Island in New York in 1892.found themselves in the middle of a confusing bureaucratic process in which new arrivals were listed, classified and sent to a series of inspections that assessed their physical and mental fitness, as well as to find a job in the United States.
According to the library, failing a medical test, such as an eye test, or appearing too frail for physical labor could have devastating consequences, as some migrants have been sent back to their countries of origin where they may never see their loved ones again.
This fear of being separated from their families led some immigrants to call Ellis Island the “Island of Tears”.
Even those who have managed to overcome this immigration filter, Ellis Island was not a pleasant experiencebecause the rules were confusing, the crowds were huge and unsettling, along with the hustle and bustle of the many languages.
When a migrant managed to pass through all the filters on the island, They boarded the ferries that took them to New Yorkor to other destinations further west in the country where they would begin to build a new life.
From January 1, 2026, new regulations came into force The rules for migrants in the United States are changing. These changes mainly affect the issuance of visas, the cost of the procedures and access to work permits, which are in high demand in the country.
For example, with the introduction of Presidential Proclamation 10998, which expanded and tightened immigration restrictions on national security grounds, it aims to “protect the nation and its citizens through rigorous assessment and verification procedures.”
This standard specifies full or partial suspension for citizens of 39 countriesin addition to restrictions on persons using travel documents issued or confirmed by the Palestinian Authority.
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