although Ellis lsland become know as the lsland of tears most immigrants only spent a few hours there and only about two percent of immigrants were rejected for either medical or legal reasons medical exams lasted a few seconds and the immogration inspectors list of twenty-nine questions was well-know to the new arrivals Wealthier passengers on the transatlantic ships didn't even have to go to Ellis lsland but passed the time in their comfortable cabins before arriving in New York