How do you know that the first person in your ancestry did not come here illegally?

Gianna M

I happen to know that my ancestors on both sides of my family came here LEGALLY, and I have in my possession their documents to prove it.
They were very proud to become U.S. Citizens, and their documents were well preserved and handed down to their future generations. I was chosen to be the current keeper of our family's history, and I too will pass down these documents to the next generation when the time comes.

Fluffy

My ancestors were Native American...

Because I'm the first one in my family.

sminthian1980

Up until like 100 years ago, there was no "legal immigration". You just show up, get a job, and you're a citizen.

Another Perspective

My ancestors were slaves, and there were no rules against slaves coming over. That's how I know. Most people's ancestors came here before there were rules against people coming over the borders. It was our Latin American neighbors that were coming over to become rich on illegal sales of drugs and not having insurance that caused there to be rules against people crossing the border. 75% of the latins that come over come for good reason, but some of them are gang members, uninsured drivers, and don't have health insurance which costs me and all American citizens money. I love hispanics, but some of their people are bad just like some of every group is bad. The difference is that being non-citizens that potentially can cost us more money.

Futureguy51

The answer is, I don't. Though I venture to say they didn't because back then since it was a new country and it was so big there was no need to consider it illegal . Also there probably weren't to many rules.

fredthedog52

My ancestors have always been here.

m434u

I know for sure the first male in my family did infact come into the USA illeagely
His future wife on the other hand came in legaly.

mckenziecalhoun

I might be ashamed and I definitely would report it to prevent it happening again the same way.

I am a U.S. American and a patriot. I am grateful to this country for it's freedoms and strengths.

One of those strengths is that we value integrity. If my family had no integrity, I would not join them by continuing the same nonsense. I would take responsibility and do something about it.

I hope you aren't suggesting that if your family did something illegal, dangerous to our country, that you would remain silent and join them! If so, I and about 80% of the country would like you to leave.

Some of us are patriots. Illegal immigrants have every reason NOT to be, and have proven it with the decision to avoid, by CHOICE, legal immigration.

Michael

Don't know,don't care.I know for a fact that some of my ancestors were horse thieves and moonshiners.What does that have to do with me?

Altstadtweib

I would be fine with it !!! I am sure they were glad that they finally made it to America and could start a new life.

fade_this_rally

IF I learned this than I would be thankful that he/she made it. It would not change my opinion that illegal immigrants should learn the correct route of entry into the US by becoming a US citiizen in one iota. The US is a land of laws and we cannot change the past. Just try to uphold the laws and keep America strong by making the current laws worth something by fulfilling them!

greg j.

My Grandfather came here illegally, proved his worth through working hard for 8 years, went back to his country, told the immigration people what he had done, what he wanted, and they granted him, his wife, my father, my Aunt and Uncle, citizenship. 1920 to 1928. And he always considered himself a We--bac , only he came from Canada, NOT Mexico.
Went from Canada to Michigan, and back again, on the Ferry, every day. I'm proud of him for the huevos he had, the chances he took, only to better his young Family, not to mention the sacrifices all of them did. And because of that, with his extended Family now grown, we have all been contributing to the betterment of the good old U.S.A. now for 87 years. All of his Grandchildren were born here. We all have children of our own, plus grandchildren, and out of a large Family, NOT one has abused the privilege of American Citizenship. Five generations already. And, if not for immigration, my Family would be a glint in my Grandpa's eyes. I am VERY PROUD of my Grandpa!!!

Geno

I was born here, I'm a citizen. My parents were born here, my grandparents were born here. My great grandparents were born here. If there are illegals in someone's ancient ancestry, it doesn't matter now. Just as most families have some skeleton, perhaps a murderer or rapist.
This is 2007.
Are you gonna blame ME for what might or might not have happened 150-200 years ago?

Zoe

I have to ask if America is a land of immigrants where are they all at now ? Everyone here is either an America or their not.

Donald W

Ancestors came over the icebridge 15-25,000 years ago. Don't believe the immigration authority was in place at that time. People too busy surviving to have other than nomadic totems and taboos to rule them. Ancestors, you rocked (literally.)

Justsyd

There was no immigration control when my ancestors arrived here. There was no "legal' and "illegal" admission. Everyone who immigrated was an immigrant.

Zapatta McFrench

You.know trying to make some kind of point about the millions of illegals overrunning our country this way is a facetious way of trying to make an irrelevant point.

Fresh Princess <3

I wouldn't really care. I mean, really, they can't exactly kick me out of the country because my great-great-great-great somebody came here illegally.

Mendi8a

I dont, but i would assume that they didnt since i can trace back 5 generations of family here in the US, so i think when they came from Ireland and England that it was before immigration law.

it is me

they all originally did...didnt they?

geegee

I took the time to look up my ancestors & know when they arrived, the ones that were not native American.
My Mother's family arrived here from Scotland via England. My Father's came from Scotland via England. Both sides came in the years between 1621 to 1784. Long before there were any illegal immigrants.
The forth finest geneology library in America is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. My cousin went to England & even found the name of the ship that my Mother's family took to arrive here.

Pritcher

Um... I think I would feel a little hungry. And with a slight headache.

Pretty much everyone got here illegally. Hell the whole damn country was outright stolen from the the natives that were here first and even they probably immigrated here at some point.

yellowbadmunster

I have copies of the documents to prove it. My grandfather came after a long wait... his wife couldn't come for 4 more years.
My mother's side came in the early 1800's and moved west to Kentucky and then Missouri.

Considering my family didn't come to America until the 1920's and I have the papers to prove they did everything legally.

â–ªÏŽhiteÄÄ±rlâ–ªÂ®

I think you pro-illegal people need to quit dwelling on the past and trying to use it as an excuse for illegal immigrants. That was THEN. This is NOW. It's lame, so give it up please...

hera

I know that on BOTH sides of my parents they came here legally. Their great grandparents came over about the same time from Germany in the early 1900's. They also never asked anyone to learn THEIR language for them...they learned ENGLISH. They never over stayed their welcome and worked hard so they never were a burden on society and never asked for hand outs.

Some of my ancestors were Cherokee and Creek. The others came from Europe before the US was officially a country. I've traced my lines, my people were never illegals.

big_john_719

mine came in at ellis island. and the vast majority of the families that have been here for 3 or more generations came here legally, because the world at that time had more respect for the law. now people just feel like the world owes them something.

Lakota

That is something I never have to worry about, My family was here before there was a United States.

J.R.

Well, if walking across the land bridge from Siberia was illegal 20,000 years ago, I guess all us Indians should be sent back to Russia.

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