Firsthand Accounts of Detention from Angel Island’s Immigrants

Between 1975 and 1990, 32 former detainees—seven women and 25 men—were interviewed about their experiences at the Immigration Station. Many were hesitant to reveal unpleasant memories from their time in detention; however, what they did share provides a fairly consistent picture of what it was like for a Chinese immigrant on Angel Island.

Him Mark Lai, Genny Lim, and Judy Yung used the following 16 questions during their interview sessions. What they revealed was later published in the book, Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island, 1910-1940. While most individuals chose to remain anonymous, others were willing to come forward publicly with their stories.

Interviewees

Kim Yin Gin • Mock Ging Sing • Koon T. Lau • Wong Stee • Joy Chan • Mrs. Woo • Yee Tet Ming • Mr. G. Lee • Mr. Lowe • Lew Way • Mr. Chan • Lee Puey You • Jann Mon Fong • Dep Chan • Mr. Chew • Mrs. Chin • Law Shee Low • Douglas Wong • Mr. Leung • Gerald Won

How old were you when you left for America?

“I was 18 years old that year. Deep in my heart, I felt very hopeful about coming to America. I had big dreams. I felt that once I got to America, I would make a lot of money and become quite wealthy. I would be able to make a lot of money… maybe as much as $10,000 or even $100,000. I was thinking big about my future." Upon leaving home, my maternal grandmother accompanied me out of the village. She said, ‘I am over 70 years old, I don’t know if I can wait to see you when you return.’ When I heard her statement, my heart felt very sad. The tears started to come and I wanted to throw down my luggage and run back home and not come to America. However, I thought further and decided that I must think ahead to my future. And so… I made my mind up and came to America.”

Mock Ging Sing
Detained for 10 months in 1937/38
Interview on April 9, 1984

What was the route you took on the voyage?

[After leaving Hong Kong] “First to Shanghai. Stopped one day for passengers—Chinese and Westerners. Then to Yokohama, Japan. I can tell you how the Japanese treated us Chinese there. They told all of us to go up to the front of the ship and stand there like soldiers. They said the Japanese doctors had to examine us. We waited for over an hour and no one came. Then, a couple of Japanese with mustaches in white uniforms, along with the ship’s officers, walked back and forth… Finally, they asked us to extend our hands and looked at us. If they had any questions, they would touch our foreheads, open our mouths, or look into our eyes, tap our chest, like that. After this procedure, it was almost two hours. After Yokohama, we went on to Hawaii and stopped for one day.”

Koon T. Lau
Detained for 10 days in 1934
Interviewed on June 10, 1990

What were the conditions on the boat coming to America?

“[It took] over a month. I traveled first class—one room with two sets of bunks—my son and I occupied one set of bunks, another women and her son occupied the other. Four people in a room. Confined there, it was difficult to eat. For breakfast, I’d have two eggs. I didn’t eat lunch. For dinner, I had vegetables with rice. The woman I shared the room with didn’t eat anything the whole time. She was seasick. She wouldn’t eat, she wouldn’t leave her bed. Later on, I climbed on deck and walked around a bit. She never got out at all, never even left the room.”

Wong Shee
Detained on Angel Island in 1922
Interviewed on August 15, 1976

How long did the voyage take?

“We lived at the end of the ship [in steerage]. I was seasick all the way. [The trip took] 21 days.”

Joy Chan
Detained for 1 month in 1926
Interviewed October 4, 1989

When did you arrive?

“I came in 1933 at the end of the year and stayed at Angel Island for six months. As you know, Angel Island used to be a detention center. The treatment was very bad. People were not allowed anywhere and were imprisoned there… When I came, [the inspectors] interrogated me for three days. They asked many detailed questions.”

Yee Tet Ming
Detained for 6 months in 1933/34
Interviewed on August 15, 1976

Describe your first impressions of Angel Island.

“In fact, the first impression I got was really not too bad. Angel Island was different from our village, it was much better—green grass, flowers, and a hospital there. The wooden building was not too bad to us. When we first got there to the dormitory, past the immigration building to the dormitory, the so-called Gee Gee Wui—the Self-Governing Club—had a reception for us. These old people made speeches and explained a little bit about life in the dormitory.”

Mr. G. Lee
Detained for 3 weeks in 1932
Interviewed in October 1976

Read other descriptions of the Immigration Station in Vault #10: Historic Landscape.

Describe your living quarters.

“The worst part was the toilet. It was a ditch congested with filth. It stunk up the whole barracks. We slept on three layers of canvas bunks. The blankets were coarse that they might have been woven of wolf’s hair. This was indeed a most humiliating prison. I still remember many profound poems written or engraved on the walls. Many expressed sincere sorrow and remorse… this was an episode hard to forget! We were the innocent victims of Angel Island—Hell on Earth. We need a host of angels to change that place into a real Angel Island.”

Mr. Lowe
Detained for 2 months in 1939
From his 1977 hand-written account

Describe the people with whom you stayed.

“When I was on Angel Island, I was a young boy but learned very fast. After being there two weeks, you were already considered an old-timer. When a new boat came in, all newcomers would come into the room. Then, all the old-timers would steal things from the newcomers. The newcomers would have all kinds of things, canned goods, snacks… on Angel Island there was nothing like that to eat. Even a can of preserved fish would be stolen… they rummaged through their suitcases. Everyone lost something. When I was there, I lost things, so I stole too.”

Lew Way
Detained for 3½ months in 1913
Interviewed on August 29, 1976

Describe the daily routine on Angel Island.

“Some read books or newspapers, some knitted clothes. There was a small fenced-in area where we were allowed to exercise or play ball. There were windows and we could see the boats arrived daily at about 9:30 or 10:00 in the morning. That's all… it was just like being in prison. There was nowhere to go. There was a little hallway fenced in for sunning or playing ball-no longer than my hallway here. There was barbed wire all around us. The men's exercise area was larger. We had men's dormitories and women's dormitories. Every day we got up at about 7. They yelled, ‘Chow, chow!’ You know those foreign women. They would wake us up and take us to the dining room for breakfast. After we ate, they took us back and locked the doors. That's all. Just like in jail. Followed us out and followed us back, then locked the doors. They were afraid we would go over to the men's side to talk to them. They wouldn't let us.”

Lee Puey You
Detained for 20 months in 1939
Interviewed on April 11, 1984

Was there any poetry on the walls?

“These poems were written all over the walls at Angel Island, wherever the hand could reach, even in the toilets. I even wanted to write one. At that time, I was young and liked things like that. Those who carved did it steadily. As soon as the watchman came, they didn’t dare do it. When they asked who did it, no one owned up. Because you were dirtying up the walls; they carved it to preserve the poems. Everyone there was like a prisoner. They couldn’t always reach the higher areas.”

Jann Mon Fong
Detained for 20 days in 1931
Interviewed on January 4, 1976

Learn more about the Angel Island’s historic Chinese poetry.

Did you see anyone passing coaching notes?

“Just one for me. The guard called my name and gave it to me. I didn’t even know what was going on. Someone in San Francisco must have paid him. He gave it to me and left. Inside were words that told me that when I went to the interrogations, I was to say this instead of that. That was the only time.”

Dep Chan
Detained for 1 month in 1916
Interviewed on October 4, 1989

Learn more about coaching notes in Vault #9: The Restaurant.

Do you recall any extraordinary events?

“One woman failed the interrogation and was in trouble. They were going to deport her. What to do? Someone got her some coaching notes. They snuck it in during mealtime by hiding it in some chewing gum. Another had a note wrapped inside a preserved plum. The person who gave her the plum said, ‘Look, there’s something in this plum, so pay attention.’ Another time, ‘There’s something in this candy, so be careful.’ Who knew that the white matron got suspicious and said, ‘What you got?’ The woman got scared and started speaking in Chinese. That matron took the exact piece of chewing gum, plum, and candy. When they got back to the barracks, they became alarmed when they realized there was something in the sweets. So, someone snuck into the matron’s office and switched the gum, plum, and candy.”

Mr. Chew
Detained for 28 days in 1920
Interviewed on December 13, 1976

Describe the interrogation process.

“There was a white inspector, a white girl, and a Chinese in his forties who interpreted. The white girl took notes. Then, at the end, they asked me to sign something. They just asked me a few questions. When they asked me to sign, I didn’t know that I was landed. I was still worried that I would have to go back and wait longer. I was lucky. I signed in Chinese shakily. When I went back to the barracks, I cried because I thought I had said something wrong. Later, they came to tell me I was landed. So, I put on my clothes, and the others helped me pack. It was 4, and the boat was ready to leave. I knew others had to go back for repeated interrogations.”

Law Shee Low
Detained for 10 days in 1922
Interviewed on October 20, 1988

Learn more about the interrogation process in Vault #5: Keepers of the Gate.

How long before you were given the results?

“I was pretty lucky. I waited until the next day. So, it wasn’t that bad. Usually, [the inspector] already knows what the situation is, but they don’t tell you. They tell you one hour ahead of time to pack.”

Douglas Wong
Detained for 31 days in 1939
Interviewed on July 12, 1990

What was the total time you spent at Angel Island?

“I came in June and landed in October. Four months.”

Mr. Leung
Detained on Angel Island in 1936
Interviewed on December 28, 1975

Find statistics on immigrant detention times in Vault #8: By the Numbers.

How do you think the detention experience has affected you?

“People, even when they lost their freedom, they try to survive. I learned how to survive at Angel Island. It was easy for me to adjust to army life. It was good and bad, but mostly bad.”

Gerald Won
Detained for 3 months in 1936
Interviewed on June 18, 1990