Angel Island: America's Untold Immigration Story

[0:04]When you hear about America's immigration story, you think of Ellis Island, New York, right? Well, think again. Because over 2,500 miles away in the San Francisco Bay is Angel Island, where between 1910 and 1940, over half a million people, largely of Asian descent, were processed for entry to the U.S. But it was an experience that was anything but welcoming. San Francisco was the main point of entry for immigrants coming into the United States from Asia, Russia, and South America. While Europeans and those holding first or second class tickets were processed in a matter of hours, obtaining entry was not so easy for the rest. And the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the first significant law to restrict immigration based on race, had made entry almost impossible. The law was passed in response to a growing backlash against Chinese workers, who were often willing to work for less pay. It slammed the door shut on Chinese immigration and only allowed a few specific exempted groups to enter. By 1892, those trying to enter were detained in a detention shed in unsanitary and overcrowded conditions near the harbor. In 1910, an immigration station was built on Angel Island to house those awaiting their fate. The experience was harrowing. Many immigrants, especially the Chinese, were separated from their families and forced to endure invasive medical examinations. Immigration hearings to expose fraudulent claims and identities became exhaustive interrogations. Detainees were locked in their rooms and could only leave in the presence of a guard. All male was inspected, no visitors were allowed. Some people were held for years before release. Angel Island was officially closed in 1940. And today, it's a state park. But the poems etched into the detainment barracks walls preserve the struggle that Chinese people endured in search of the American dream. How does Angel Island reflect the biases of the time period? Do we still have biases against immigrants today?