On our second day at the archives I was tasked to find a specific record on Roelof Bakker. The interesting thing about Roelof Bakker was that was not his real name; his real name was Isadore Kolb. The files contained many letters from the Kolb family and different perspectives on why this alien was deported to Tampico, Mexico.
The Kolb family immigrated to the United States from Hungary in 1913 and were living in New York. Mentioned in one document, it was said that Isadore Kolb had fled America to Mexico, to avoid the Draft Act that he was registered under. While in Mexico he purchased a passport that belonged to a Dutchman by the name of Roelof Bakker and tried to reenter the United States after not being able to find employment in Mexico. He was arrested and it was soon figured out that he was not Roelof Bakker, but instead Isadore Kolb. His sister, Cyrus Kolb, tried to argue that her brother traveled the country but then fled to Mexico after a dispute with his father over religious views. The questionnaire for the Draft Act was delivered to her and he was not there to receive it, thus he was charged with violation of section 3, title 9 of the Espionage act. Once he was arrested from trying to reenter the United States, the question was to figure out whether or not he was from Holland, like the passport said, or if he was from Hungary, which was what his family was saying. During that time, he was posted for bail at $500 and was allowed to work during the investigation.
While this alien was from New York, copies of these files were sent to the port of El Paso due to the possible return of this alien after his year of being deported. Since he came through from Mexico after he fled, he was deported back to Mexico. He was given the chance to reenter the United States a year after his deportation temporarily but permanently would have had to be decided at a later date. It is unclear if the alien came back after his probation.
Immigrant Inspector, Ellis Island, NY, to Commissioner of Immigration, Ellis Island, NY, February 5, 1919, File 54395/66, Subject Correspondence, 1906-1932, Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, RG 85 (National Archives, Washington, DC).