Is Our Southern Border The New Ellis Island?

By C. J. Refsland on January 25, 2019 • ( 0 )

Has our Southern border become the new Ellis Island? If so, why can’t we have security measures much like they did then?

The State of New York leased the island in 1794 and started to fortify it in 1795. Ownership was in question and legislation was passed for acquisition by condemnation in 1807 and then ceded to the United States in 18“08. Shortly thereafter the War Department established a circular stone 14-gun battery, a mortar battery (possibly of six mortars), magazine, and barracks. This was part of what was later called the second system of U.S. fortifications. From 1808 until 1814 it was a federal arsenal. The fort was initially called Crown Fort, but by the end of the War of 1812 the battery was named Fort Gibson, after Colonel James Gibson of the 4th Regiment of Riflemen, killed in the Siege of Fort Erie during the war. Parts of the wall foundations of the fort were uncovered while excavating for the Immigrant Wall of Honor, and they are preserved with an interpretive plaque. The island remained a military post for nearly 80 years before it was selected to be a federal immigration station.”

“Between 1905 and 1914, an average of one million immigrants per year arrived in the United States. Immigration officials reviewed about 5,000 immigrants per day during peak times at Ellis Island. Two-thirds of those individuals emigrated from eastern, southern and central Europe. The peak year for immigration at Ellis Island was 1907, with 1,004,756 immigrants processed. The all-time daily high occurred on April 17, 1907, when 11,747 immigrants arrived. After the Immigration Act of 1924 was passed, which greatly restricted immigration and allowed processing at overseas embassies, the only immigrants to pass through the station were those who had problems with their immigration paperwork, displaced persons, and war refugees.
Generally, those immigrants who were approved spent from two to five hours at Ellis Island. Arrivals were asked 29 questions including name, occupation, and the amount of money carried. It was important to the American government the new arrivals could support themselves and have money to get started. The average the government wanted the immigrants to have was between 18 and 25 dollars ($600 in 2015 adjusted for inflation). Those with visible health problems or diseases were sent home or held in the island’s hospital facilities for long periods of time. More than 3,000 would-be immigrants died on Ellis Island while being held in the hospital facilities. Some unskilled workers were rejected because they were considered “likely to become a public charge.” About 2% were denied admission to the U.S. and sent back to their countries of origin for reasons such as having a chronic contagious disease, criminal background, or insanity. Ellis Island was sometimes known as “The Island of Tears” or “Heartbreak Island” because of those 2% who were not admitted after the long transatlantic voyage. The Kissing Post is a wooden column outside the Registry Room, where new arrivals were greeted by their relatives and friends, typically with tears, hugs, and kisses.” (Wikipedia)

So you can see there were stringent measures for immigration even at Ellis Island. The government claimed this land and fortified it and still care for it.

So what is all the outcry about security measures at our Southern Border? It has become a crises much as those coming through Ellis Island. So why can’t we have security and vetting. I’m not saying people don’t deserve to come here and share in our freedoms, but why can’t we prevent gangs, drugs and even members of ISIS from entering? Think about it.

The MSM owned by the democratic socialist party refuse to report on the arrests made by the border patrol of gang members and those with criminal records even of murder. But why? Do they hate America that much that they would flood our country with people who backed their promises of man made Utopia? Remember these people are fleeing violence from their government or gangs backed or ignored by their governments. I believe this is by design to take down those who cling to the values and morals that America was built on, and completely transform it into a socialist utopia. Except that’s an oxy-moran. Look at Venezuela, does it look like a utopia? Look at Cuba is that a Utopia? These are things to think about, and things we should ask and speak out about. And have you noticed since the security at our border has become so important and volatile, that the left has stepped up the campaign to get rid of our President? Why do they not want security so bad that they would take down a President duly elected? Simple they will not give up until the open border society becomes the new norm. And they know they have been exposed and must move quickly. Speak with boldness and truth, and support our lawmakers standing for truth and security. Democrats shot down bills yesterday that would pay 400,000 of those federal workers furloughed. Think about that. If they were so concerned than why??