After WW1 there were strict numbers of immigrants allowed from southern and eastern Europe, only 3% of the total already here. There was also an $ 8.00 immigration fee, doesn't sound like much now but then it could be at least a months wages for a dirt poor immigrant from Italy. The Italian government paid the fee to the US government to help their people move to the US, not altogether high minded as they didn't want angry, unemployed veterans hanging around and thought it would be cheaper to pay their way. I have Italian relatives and some say they paid back the fee and others say they forgot about it the minute they were off the boat.