What did the people do while they were at Ellis Island?

* Registered with the immigration authorities. This involved providing information such as their name, age, place of birth, occupation, and destination.

* Underwent a medical examination. This was to ensure that they were not carrying any contagious diseases.

* Were interviewed by immigration inspectors. This was to determine if they were eligible for admission to the United States.

* Waited for their cases to be decided. This could take several days or even weeks.

* Were either admitted to the United States or deported back to their home countries.