The lasting Impact of Ellis Island

The descendants of Ellis Island immigrants mostly settled in the NorthEast, the Midwest and parts of the West.

They adapted to a combination of Yankee and Midland culture – Yankee culture being defined by modern progressives and Midland culture representing non ideological classical liberal moderates.  

The Ellis Island immigrants added Catholicism and European continental socialism to the mix. 

They supported every corrupt Tammany Hall style urban democrat and anti constitutional populist movement throughout the early part of the century, from Woodrow Wilson to FDR and beyond.

Today, they would most commonly be standard leftist democrats, or socially conservative union socialists. At least the latter groups tend to be against the current mass migration. 

Other than that, their descendants have not contributed much positive to American political values. They are generally not connected to preserving the American founding political tradition of limited government and individual sovereignty. 

They should respect the history and tradition of the settlers whose cultural capital they have coasted off of throughout the progressive century in which this country was hollowed out. 

That way, maybe they can help us fix it instead of carrying the baggage of continental Europe and waffling between international and national socialism.

The populations of Ellis Island immigrants and colonial settlers are largely mixed at this point in the regions they share, but the distinct historical cultural trends and their impacts remain. 

Today, the absolute and per capita number of immigrants is higher than ever in US history. As of Jan 2025, 15.8% of US residents (legal and illegal) were born outside the country. This is the highest level of immigration in US history, exceeding the previous record of 14.8 % at the height of the Elise Island wave. 

It’s not just about this election or the next. This will have political impacts for years to come. The 19th century immigrants who are concerned about this century's group should finally start helping and listening to the settlers so we can restore something of our original generative cultural force.