Island of Tears

After registration, medical check, and inspection, many people were free to go. They walked down the stairs of the other end of the Grand Hall and into Freedom. Think about how excited they must have felt to reunite with family members they haven't seen in years, or to start their new lives with a clean slate. 

 

Sadly, not everyone was free to go. Those who failed the medical check or inspection were detained. They had to stay in the dormitories on the third floor for further questioning and examination. It took a few days (or up to a month!) for them to have their case reviewed in a hearing. The people who were marked as sick or contagious were either treated in the hospital or kept under quarantine. They were treated for weeks, or even months, if needed. About 2% of the millions of immigrants who entered Ellis Island were shipped back home and rejected from entering America. For them, Ellis Island was the Island of Tears.