When was Ellis Island active?
Ellis Island
During and immediately following World War II, Ellis Island was used to hold German merchant mariners and "enemy aliens"—Axis nationals detained for fear of spying, sabotage, and other fifth column activity. In December 1941, Ellis Island held 279 Japanese, 248 Germans, and 81 Italians removed from the East Coast. Unlike other wartime immigration detention stations, Ellis Island was designated as a permanent holding facility and was used to hold foreign nationals throughout the war. A total of 7,000 Germans, Italians and Japanese would be ultimately detained at Ellis Island. It was also a processing center for returning sick or wounded U.S. soldiers, and a Coast Guard training base. Ellis Island still managed to process tens of thousands of immigrants per year during this time, but many fewer than the hundreds of thousands per year who arrived before the war. After the war, immigration rapidly returned to earlier levels.
Ellis Island
Some films have focused on the immigrant experience, such as the 1984 TV miniseries "Ellis Island". The IMAX 3D movie "Across the Sea of Time" incorporates both modern footage and historical photographs of Ellis Island. The 2006 Italian movie "The Golden Door", directed by Emanuele Crialese, takes place largely on Ellis Island. "Forgotten Ellis Island", a film and book, focuses on the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital. "The Immigrant" is a 2013 American drama film directed by James Gray, starring Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jeremy Renner. "Ellis", a short, premiered in November 2015.