Tells the story of Ellis Island, the first stop for immigrants arriving in New York City beginning in 1890. Describes the process would-be immigrants to America had to go through before being allowed to board a trans-Atlantic ship, the physical examination they received on arriving at Ellis Island, the reasons some were rejected, and the economic hardship and discrimination many of them faced. The immigration center on Ellis Island closed in 1954 and underwent a restoration in 1984.