1 January 1892
Immigration institutionsSupplement
Ellis Island opens amid unequal rules of admission
New York Harbor
Ellis Island opened as a federal immigration station, processing millions of newcomers, many from Europe. Its gateway story coexisted with Chinese exclusion and other restrictions on entry and citizenship.
Dates preserve the source’s precision. This entry is part of a selected historical record; its qualifications and sources are retained below.
Context / qualification
Ellis Island was not the entry point for all immigrants, nor was every European immigrant admitted. Admission, naturalization and equal treatment are different questions.