Why was Ellis Island closed?

By 1954, just three years later, President Dwight Eisenhower was ready to push immigration law enforcement in a radical new direction. That year, the Eisenhower Administration decided to shut down six immigration detention facilities, including the one on Ellis Island.



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In November of 1954, the last remaining detainee on Ellis Island, a Norwegian merchant seaman named Arne Peterssen, was released and Ellis Island officially closed by the U.S. government.

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Ellis Island
  • Location: New York Harbor.
  • Immigrants processed: 19 million.
  • Number rejected: 1.2 million.
  • Percentage rejected: 6%
  • Average length of stay: 1 day.


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Overview: Opened on January 1, 1892, Ellis Island became the nation's premier federal immigration station. In operation until 1954, the station processed over 12 million immigrant steamship passengers.

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The first ferry departs at 9:00 AM, and the last ferry departs Ellis Island at 6:00 PM. There are extended hours in the summer and during holidays. The information center is open until island closure. Ellis Island is open every day except the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving) and December 25.

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For the vast majority of immigrants, Ellis Island truly was an Island of Hope - the first stop on their way to new opportunities and experiences in America. For the rest, it became the Island of Tears - a place where families were separated and individuals were denied entry into the United States.

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