A similarity between Ellis Island and Angel Island was that both immigration stations ____________.

A similarity between Ellis Island and Angel Island was that both immigration stations ____________.

A. served immigrants of mostly European descent.

B. served immigrants of mostly Asian descent.

C. detained immigrants for weeks or months.

D. required immigrants to undergo questioning

Answer: C. detained immigrants for weeks or months.

Ellis Island and Angel Island were both immigrant processing centres in the United States, however, the contrast was in the type of people they processed as well as how they processed them. Still, one of which was that both of them were incarcerating immigrants for weeks or even months.

Ellis Island in New York harbour was the major centre where immigrants mainly from Europe arrived and were processed between 1892 and 1954. There were many ways the various gate processes made long stays for some immigrants inevitable, different forms and stations gave those entrants more time in the country than they expected, for treatment of diseases, detention for criminal conduct, or further investigations among others. For instance, some of the detainees in 1907 detained during immigration times were detained for weeks in cramped spaces Resulting from backlogs in processing.

Angel Island is located in San Francisco Bay and was in operation between 1910 and 1940, The majority of the immigrants who were processed here were Asian especially Chinese. Because of the Chinese Exclusionary Act, and other racially regressive immigration laws that were in force during the era, detainees at Angel Island had to undergo longer detention compared to Ellis Island’s detainees. Most Chinese immigrants were detained for weeks or even months as their cases awaited a decision. Besides, some detainees were held for as long as two years while they sought a review of deportation orders.

In both cases, these extended detentions resulted in dramatic changes to the immigrants’ experience, and typically led to stress or feelings of insecurity and/or hardship. These durations conferred time for authorities to conduct comprehensive tests, validate documents, as well as implement policies on legal residencies but contributed to hard living conditions and numerous arrivals’ separation from their families in America.