Questions Asked During Legal Inspection at Ellis Island

Legal inspectors at Ellis Island used a standardized questionnaire to determine admissibility. Core areas included:

Personal Details

• Full name, age, nationality
• Occupation, skills, work history

Family & Destination

• Marital status, children, relatives in the U.S.
• Intended address and who would meet them

Travel & Finances

• Ship name, port of departure, ticket class
• Money on hand (typically $25+ required)

Health & Background

• Medical history, disabilities, mental health
• Criminal record, prior deportations
• Political affiliations (especially anarchist/socialist ties during Red Scare)

Self-Sufficiency

• Ability to work, literacy (after 1917), likelihood of becoming a public charge

Questions evolved with immigration laws, but the goal remained: exclude those deemed economically, medically, or politically undesirable.