jef barnett asked about how to " obtain a copy of my ancestor's
Board of Special Inquiry hearings at Ellis Island in 1920...Do the files
exist? Are copies obainable >from Ellis Island or the NARA in NY or
Washington? Are there on line forms to request information?

I can think of three ways to find out if the particular Board minutes
still exist:
(1) send an email to NARA New York requesting information.

(2) complete an Freedom of Information Act request and send it to both
NARA and USCIS: download the FOIA request form G-639 from:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=6f2a4154d7b3d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCRD

(3) complete the genealogical query form and send it to USCIS: This is
a two step process with two sets of fees: $20 for a microfilm index or
document and $35 for a textual record. Index requests must use form
G-1041 and records requests must use Form G1041A. If the person you
are researching is less than 100 years old, you must supply evidence
of death. Full details are at
http://www.globallawcenters.com/uscisforms_g-1041.php The USCIS has
two files which seem appropriate to query:
Registry Files are records >from March 2, 1929 to March 31, 1944
containing arrival information of immigrants who entered the United
States prior to July 1, 1924, and for whom no arrival records could
later be found.
Alien Files or A-Files are case files on individuals containing all
immigration records created or consolidated since April 1, 1944 to the
present.

would be great if you responded to the discussion list as to which
avenue was successful....
happy hunting...
Phyllis Kramer, New York City, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla
V.P.Education, JewishGen Inc: www.JewishGen.org/education
Researching (all Galicia) KRAMER, BEIM >from Jasienica Rosielna
...SCHEINER, KANDEL >from Strzyzow & Dubiecko
...LINDNER, EICHEL >from Rohatyn, Burstyn
...STECHER, TRACHMAN >from Nowy Zmigrod, Dukla
family web site: www.KehilaLinks.JewishGen.org/Krosno/Kramer.htm