Ellis Island is synonymous with immigration, ... In 1916, a nearby explosion on Black Tom Island initiated by German saboteurs forced an evacuation of Ellis Island.

On January 1, 1892, Ellis Island immigration station in New York Harbor opened its doors and welcomed its first immigrant, ... a young German-American who worked at the Fulton Fish Market.

The massive project to modernize the historic immigration museum comes as political tensions over immigration are rising.

As immigration decreased, Ellis Island's role began to change. During World War Two, some 7,000 German, Italian and Japanese nationals suspected of being enemy aliens were interred there.