The Non-Angelic History of Angel Island

As San Francisco Bay’s largest island, Angel Island is a sunny tourist destination home to various beaches, hiking trails, and recreational parks. At first glance, it seems like a pleasant place for vacation. However, despite its charming appearance, the island holds a dark history that contrasts its misleadingly glorious title.

Before it was an immigration facility, Angel Island was originally the home of Miwok Native Americans. The land was also used as a Mexican cattle ranch as well as for the U.S. military. It was not until 1905, when “the War Department transferred 20 acres of land on the island to the Department of Commerce and Labor for the establishment of an immigrant station,” that the Angel Island Immigration Station timeline officially began.

Commonly referred to as the “Ellis Island of the West,” Angel Island became a location where Asian immigrants were detained and often forced to undergo long immigration hearings prior to entry. Whereas on Ellis Island, a passing point for mostly European immigrants, people were processed and were not seen as obstacles for Americans because of their ethnicity. Today, Ellis Island is often revered as a symbol of diversity and evolution in the United States’ history, overshadowing the unfortunate actions of its Western counterpart.

During the Gold Rush, many Chinese immigrants came to the U.S. looking for jobs and running away from China’s crumbling economy. Upon arrival, they were put to work and became essential to the development of America’s infrastructure, yet their efforts went unnoticed; Chinese immigrants were seen as enemies who would interfere with the success of “true” Americans. This prejudice was reflected in multiple pieces of legislature including the Page Act of 1875, which “prohibited the recruitment of laborers from ‘China, Japan or any Oriental country’ who were not brought to the United States of their own will or who were brought for ‘lewd and immoral purposes’” and “explicitly forbid ‘the importation of women for the purposes of prostitution.’” Seven years later, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was passed and “suspended Chinese immigration for ten years and declared Chinese immigrants ineligible for naturalization.” Both acts highlight the generalization and sexualization of Chinese women and barriers constructed to block Asians from opportunities.

As a result of these laws, when ships arrived in San Francisco, their passengers were separated based on nationality. People from various countries including China were sent to Angel Island for further processing, while others had a simpler experience and were able to enter the country much sooner. On Angel Island, immigrants had humiliating medical exams and harsh interrogations. They were unable to communicate with anyone off the island and many families were separated in detention. Their time on the island spanned from weeks to years, and during that period people were often kept in undesirable conditions only to end up being deported.

Today, people are able to tour the station and visit an educational monument. There they can learn about the history of the island and its facilities and understand what the immigrants who passed through had to experience. A symbol of the resilience and perseverance of Asian Americans, Angel Island and its legacy maintains historical and personal significance for many immigrated U.S. citizens.