Erin

The Opening of Angel Island

The years between 1910 and 1940 became the most decisive moment for an immigrant coming to America, especially for those who came through Angel Island. Coming off the Asian Exclusion Act, Angel Island was introduced as a place for “processing” immigrants, but the reality was far from just paperwork and regulations. Instead, Angel Island became the U.S. government’s way of keeping immigrants out, detaining them for months at a time.

The experience immigrants faced at Angel Island would set the tone for their future experience in America. Many immigrants described their experience as tainted by long waiting, poor food, and poor living conditions. Because of the U.S.’s desire to keep immigrants out, they were made to wait for months at a time before waiting for an interview, being crammed into small quarters along with dozens of other inmates.

The interview process was apparently as traumatizing as the living conditions themselves. Immigrants were tested on particular details such as the name of all the streets in their neighborhood and the exact extent of their family linkages. Any sign of hesitation would be considered inadequate and those immigrants would be sent back to their home country. During their stay, troubled detainees would scribble poems on the wall, a memory that would soon become characteristic of Angel Island, something that can be viewed and appreciated in our present time.

The reason I found the opening of Angel Island interesting is because of the implications it presents. First of all, it can be argued that the U.S. is founded by immigrants, people who were not content with the way their government was treating them, being established as a place to live freely. However, as Angel Island demonstrates, the U.S. was intent on keeping new immigrants, especially the Chinese, out in correlation with the Chinese Exclusion Act, and thus contradicted the very foundation that America was built upon. What Angel Island also imposed on immigrants was the idea that they were indeed foreigners, aliens; they were “others.” Angel Island was the gate that prevented them from assimilating because their very experience on this island clearly labeled them and separated them from America, putting a barrier between them and their dream. While it is true that these immigrants were coming here for a life far better than what they had experienced in their home country, the hostility that they faced cannot be considered better than their previous life.

In addition, Angel Island represents a tease. Angel Island is part of the U.S., namely the San Francisco Bay. So while these immigrants were still on American soil, they were still seen as “invaders.” It seems as if they were so close to reaching their destination, able to set foot onto U.S territory, but still be so far from achieving their dream.