What is the Angel Island Immigration Station?
• A: The Angel Island Immigration Station was the primary processing point for Chinese immigrants entering the United States from 1910 – 1940. To try and discourage hopeful Chinese from entering the US after the San Francisco Earthquake, the US Government moved the processing point from San Francisco to Angel Island, the largest island in San Francisco Bay near Tiburon. (Visitors to San Francisco may have seen but not recognized Angel Island, which sits beyond Alcatraz Island in the bay). While Europeans were processed within hours and the Japanese within a day or so, Chinese immigrants were detained anywhere from two weeks to three years before being admitted to the US or denied entry. Angel Island Immigration Station. The barracks are in the right center.
