Why Claiming �My Family Came Legally� Is Often a Myth

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Many people assume that their family immigrated to the U.S. legally, or did it “the right way.” In most cases, this statement does not reflect the fact that the U.S. immigration system was very different when their families arrived, and that their families might not have been allowed to enter had today’s laws been in effect. Read this fact sheet to learn how the definition of who came to the country "legally" and "illegally" has changed with the evolution of immigration laws.