STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Ellis Island, the threshold of the American Dream, once served as the primary gateway for more than 12 million hopeful dreamers from the years 1892 to 1954.
It was the site where rigorous inspections either granted entry to a new life or, sadly, delivered the heartbreak of deportation for immigrants who came to America for the possibility of a better life.
To commemorate the spirit of those in search of the American dream, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor was founded in 1986…