The second hearing was brief, and apparently took place for the purpose of putting the
board's decision on record. They considered the cousins' testimony, but failed to see
how the affidavits placed the cousins under any legal obligation. The Board dealt with
the same issue every day, in case after case. Too often, relatives promised to care for
immigrants, but within weeks or months turned the immigrant out onto the streets. Many
such immigrants fell into distress and ended up back on Ellis Island for deportation.
In those cases the relatives' promises were not worth the paper they were written on.
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