Immigration

Ellis Island is known in history as a place that welcomed America's immigrants, but for a time, it also pushed them away.

Ellis Island is known in history as a place that welcomed America's immigrants, but for a time, it also pushed them away.

Immigrants detained on Ellis Island for legal or medical reasons spent a night in the Ferry Building. Hear the stories of those who lived through this unforgettable experience.

Anyone born in America is automatically a citizen. But that wasn't always the case. And it was Wong Kim Ark, a Chinese-American man who finally ensured that right.

Today, Irish traditions are seamlessly embedded in American culture. But once upon a time, the American people rejected—even hated—those immigrating from the Emerald Isle.

An estimated 40% of Americans are descended from people who passed through the Ellis Island immigration station during its six decades of operation. But what was the immigration process like?

Trace the journey of Boston's Irish population from poverty to power, spearheaded by one man's determination to see justice for his community, in this digital exclusive.

Until the Spanish arrived in the Southwest, there wasn’t a single cow in America, but within decades their ranching efforts result in over 3 million longhorn cows roaming the Texas grasslands.

For decades migrants from Central America have fled their homes from corruption, crime, poverty and violence to seek a better life in the United States. One of the major causes of such strife? The Cold War.

After the 1906 earthquake destroyed the city, plans to rebuild didn’t include a place for Chinese immigrants. Faced with the prospect of resettling to Oakland, Look Tin Eli employed white architects to create an even grander Chinatown.

What does an American look like? Evolving immigration policies in 1965 would lead to ever-changing answers.

For over 60 years, Ellis Island was the gateway for millions of Americans to the United States. Explore the legacy of this symbol of American immigration.