November 12 marked the anniversary of Ellis Island closing in 1954. The gateway to America was closed after being open since 1892 and processing some 12 million immigrants. There are an estimated 40 percent of Americans who can trace their roots through Ellis Island. The island is named after Samuel Ellis, a merchant who owned the land in the 1770s.

The first person to pass through the newly opened federal immigration center was 15 year old Annie Miller, from Ireland, on Jan. 2, 1892. In 1954, the last detainee, Arne Peterssen, was released and the center closed.

Before Ellis Island opened, immigrants were processed by the individual states. After it opened, third class or steerage passengers were given medical and legal inspections at the center to determine their eligibility to enter the country. Records indicate only about 2 percent were denied entry into the United States.

After World War I, the U.S. began building embassies around the world and immigrants were then screened in their home countries. The need for Ellis Island was further lessened by the Immigration Act of 1924 when the number entering was further regulated. In 1924, the island was switched to a detention and deportation center for illegal immigrants. Later, it also served as a hospital for wounded soldiers during World War II, and a Coast Guard training center.

Ellis Island only handled about as many in 62 years as we now have in the country illegally according to low estimates. There seems to be some agreement that the number is about 11.7 million now here. I believe the number is much higher.

This is a problem that keeps cropping up and it is costing taxpayers big bucks. Estimates range from 100 billion to as high as 538 billion annually counting all costs to the economy. Under the Immigration Act of 1990, the number of legal immigrants allowed after 1994 was 675,000 per year with a limit of 48,000 from any one country. However, how closely that is followed seems illusive.  There are 25,098,000 foreign born workers in the country now. We have really reached a saturation point of immigrants. There isn’t enough jobs for native born citizens let alone bringing in more skilled or unskilled workers. There are 94,031,000 citizens not in the labor force already, the most in 37 years. The situation continues to worsen with Buick now building a car in China for the American market. Why not build a car in Mexico and keep the Mexicans at home with good jobs?

The problem has to be addressed, and it has to start with closing the southern border. Anyone favoring the status quo or saying it can’t be fixed will not get my vote. It must be fixed and amnesty without border control only makes it worse as we have already experienced with the Reagan amnesty in 1986. I am all for a better life for our neighbors, but it need not be at the expense of American jobs and workers.