Races, Immigration: United States. New York. New York City. Immigrant Station: Regulation of Immigration at the Port of Entry, United States Immigrant Station, New York City: Group of Those to Be Deported. c. 1903

Editor: This photograph by J.H. Adams depicts a group of immigrants awaiting deportation at the New York City immigrant station. It’s a very stark image, filled with weariness. What does this photograph tell us about the immigrant experience? Curator: This image lays bare the brutal realities of immigration policies. It prompts us to consider who is deemed "desirable" and who is excluded. How does the composition, the way these individuals are grouped together, speak to the lack of agency these people had in their own lives? Editor: It feels dehumanizing. They're huddled together, almost like cargo. Curator: Exactly. It forces us to confront the historical and ongoing power imbalances inherent in immigration systems and reflect on whose stories are often erased or ignored. Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way. Curator: Consider the gaze of each individual. What can we learn from where they are looking – or not looking? Editor: It’s a hard photo to look at, but important to see.