Final answer:
At Ellis Island, about 2 percent of arriving immigrants were rejected, primarily for health or legal reasons. Most immigrants faced an inspection process that, if passed, allowed them to enter New York and start a new life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Immigration officials at Ellis Island rejected new arrivals quite infrequently. During the peak years of European immigrants entering the United States — particularly between 1900 and 1910 — over nine million people came to the country. With Ellis Island serving as the major processing center after its opening in 1892, only roughly 2 percent of the arriving immigrants were denied entry, mostly due to medical conditions or a criminal history.
The examination process varied based on ticket class. Immigrants with first or second class tickets were given a basic inspection on board the ship, under the assumption that wealthier individuals posed less risk. In contrast, third class or steerage passengers underwent more rigorous inspections and medical examinations at Ellis Island, including the onerous test for trachoma which involved inverting the eyelids.