More than 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954, when the island served as a federal immigration station. The busiest years came before World War I, as millions of immigrants—primarily from Europe—arrived in the United States. Most passed through Ellis Island relatively quickly and were admitted to the country. The island’s role in American immigration was so extensive that an estimated 40 percent of Americans today have an ancestor who passed through Ellis Island.
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