Texas, Eagle Pass Arrival Manifests and Indexes - FamilySearch Historical Records

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
By searching the database and images in this collection you may learn new details about your family members who entered the United States from Mexico at the Eagle Pass customshouse located at the southern border of Texas between 19051–1953. Details you learn such as their birth place or age when they entered the United States will enrich your family history and provide you with leads to continue your FamilySearch. You may wish to use the records in this collection in conjunction with United States Border Crossings from Mexico to United States. And although most arrivals are from Mexico, there are also Syrians, Japanese, and Europeans who chose to enter the United States through Mexico.

What is in This Collection?
The Texas, Eagle Pass Arrival Manifests and Indexes, 1905–1954 correlates with two National Archives and Records Administration(NARA) microfilm publications: Indexes to Manifests of Permanent and Statistical Arrivals at Eagle Pass, Texas, December 1, 1929 - June 1953., M2040 and Permanent and Statistical Manifests of Alien Arrivals at Eagle Pass, Texas, June 1905 - June 1953., M1755. Microfilm publication M2040 is index cards for the years 1929–1953 for the Card Manifests on microfilm publication M1755. The index cards are arranged alphabetically and contain information such as name, age, date of crossing and manifest card number to assist in locating a card manifest in microfilm publication M1755. The card manifests located on microfilm publication M1755 cover the years 1905–1953 and are arrange chronologically. These microfilm publications are part of Record Group Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service 85: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

General Information about Land Border Crossings and  Card Manifests

The United States Customs Service (Customs) collected records on immigration through collection districts and regional customhouses. Customs required that the captain of a ship arriving at a United States port from a foreign port to submit a list of passengers to the collector of customs. Early records originated at the customshouses and were for statistical purposes only. On 3 August 1882, the United States Congress passed the first law regulating immigration. From 1882–1891, the Secretary of the Treasury had general supervision over immigration and the Office of Superintendent of Immigration was established in the department of the Treasury. This office was later designated a bureau and eventually became the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, after naturalization functions were added to the bureau, and then Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS). Treatment of land borders has been different as keeping statistics on Unites States land borders was not required by early immigration acts. Land border records began being kept on the Canadian border in 1895 and on the Mexican border in 1906. When records began being kept for land borders, immigration authorities found that it was impractical to collect arrival information on lists as it was done for ship passengers; therefore, immigration authorities started using card manifests for each person. These cards contained the same information as ship passenger lists such as name, age, sex, marital status, birth place, physical description, occupation, citizenship or nationality, reason for entry, place of last permanent residency, literacy and language of literacy, and whether the immigrant intended on become a citizen of the United States or returning to their country of origin.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Index cards
 * Name
 * Citizenship
 * Age
 * Sex
 * Arrival date
 * Manifest Number

Manifest cards
 * Name
 * Age
 * Sex
 * Marital status
 * Birthplace
 * Physical description
 * Occupation
 * Citizenship or nationality
 * Reason for entry
 * Date of entry
 * Place of last permanent residency
 * Literacy and language literate in
 * Intent of becoming citizen or returning to country of origin

How Do I Search This Collection?
You can search the index, view the images or both. Before using this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person you are looking for
 * The approximate date of immigration

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page:
 * 1) Select the Record Type
 * 2) Select the Range to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference; see the section Citing this Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image
 * Use the information found in the record to find other immigration records
 * Use the record to learn your ancestor’s foreign and “Americanized” names, if they were different
 * Use the record to learn the place of origin and find their church and vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage records
 * Use the information found in the record to find land and probate records
 * Use the record to see if other family members who may have immigrated with the person you are looking for are listed and have additional information or leads; you may also find additional information on new family members in censuses
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. You could get a copy of the original record from the Collection Browse Page
 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor at the customhouse where you believed your ancestor crossed into the United States, then try searching records of a nearby border crossing
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Texas.
 * Beginning Research in United States Immigration and Emigration Records
 * Texas Guided Research
 * Texas Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.