Incredible Photos Of Immigrants Arriving At Ellis Island

Only A Small Percent Were Denied Entry

The busiest year at Ellis Island was 1907. On April 11th of that year, 747 people arrived at the station, an all-time high. In general, immigrants spent between three to five hours on the island before being released. They were examined by medical professionals and were required to answer questions about their occupations and how much money they had. Officials wanted immigrants to have a little bit of money in their pockets upon arrival.

Two percent of immigrants were denied entry for three main reasons: they had a contagious disease, suffered from insanity, or a had a criminal background.