For many. their first day at Ellis Island was the tangible fulfillment of a lifes ambition. For 20 million people. that small island in New York Harbor was America and home. The closing of Ellis Island in 1954 symbolized the recession of the great immigration to our shores. Those who passed through her gates went forth to become part of the very fiber of this land. In tribute to them and to their inestimable contribution. it is only fitting that Ellis Island be preserved as a monument to its own past and to the future which its people. and all Americas immigrants. built. Many have said that they would act. but have delayed. I urge that we delay no longer and therefore propose that Ellis Island be enshrined as a national historic site. dedicated to the immigrants of America. This island would serve as a memorial to an important and meaningful part of our countrys history. It would symbolize. too. like its close neighbor. the Statue of Liberty. the freedom and opportunity which millions around the world sought and found in America.
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immigration immigrants