My ancestors came to America legally
| My ancestors came to America legally | |
|---|---|
| MISLEADING | |
| "Earlier generations of immigrants, unlike today's, came to the United States the legal way by following the rules." | |
| Domain | Immigration & Migration |
| Tactic | False Context |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 20th century |
| Origin | A common argument in debates about illegal immigration |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-29 |
| Further reading: books on Immigration & Migration | |
The claim that my ancestors came to America legally is often used to contrast past and present immigrants. For most of American history, there was little immigration law to follow. Before the 1880s, the federal government placed almost no restrictions on immigration from Europe, and the visa and quota systems most people think of did not exist until the 1920s.
The claim
The argument says earlier immigrants waited in line and obeyed the law, while today's immigrants do not.
What the evidence shows
- Few rules. The first major federal restrictions were the Page Act of 1875 and the Chinese Exclusion Act and Immigration Act of 1882, which barred certain groups.
- No visas or quotas. Most European immigrants arriving through Ellis Island needed no visa and were admitted after a brief inspection. National quotas came with the laws of 1921 and 1924.
- Exclusion by race. Early laws barred Chinese and other Asian immigrants, so "coming legally" was not an option for many.
Why it persists
People project today's system back onto the past.
See also
Sources
- US Citizenship and Immigration Services, "Overview of INS History."
- Wikipedia, "History of immigration to the United States."