were the ancestors of present U.S. citizens not  all entering North America illegally ?
612719
The didn't own the land, they just lived on it. We own it now...you want it...go back to where you came from get your army all packed up...and let's roll baby...I'll meet you on the front line.
66720
"Illegal Mexicans" come to America for the same reasons that your ancestors came to America.  America is the land of oppurtunity and unlike many other countries, America is somewhat of a meritocracy.  America is a beacon of light that advertises itself as the land of the free and the home of the brave.  \n\nYou shouldn't call them "illegal Mexicans."  They have every right to be here as you do.  Unless you are 100% Native American, somebody in your family was an immigrant.  Even if your family came over on the Mayflower, your ancestors were once "illegal  XXXXXX" as well.  Who are you to say that you are "legal" and some others are "illegal"?
156792
Columbus never came to the area now known as the US. He was in the Caribbean. The Caribbean was inhabited by the Carib Indians and the Arawak Indians, and other indigenous peoples. \n\nThroughout the New World there were indigenous peoples already living here before Columbus. Some of the people living in the Americas have ancestors who were among these aboriginal peoples, but most do not.
575072
You are absolutely correct. It is a privilege to enter this great land of ours. Even illegals know this or they wouldn't hide the fact that they are illegal. \n\nBecause America is synonymous with freedom,(and freedom is pretty much desired by all humans) there is a natural tendency to think that one would have a right to enter unabated. This however is not the case. Freedom is dangerous with out the rule of law.   \nBecause America has some of the most liberal immigration laws of any nation already, I believe people think that passing legally into America is just some sort of formality. Little do they understand that this is a sovereign nation and although the declaration of independence was written by Americans it was written for the world. A decree stating quite matter of factly we are ONE nation.
408680
That is basically true. We are all immigrants and the Europeans who became the United States, illegally took the land away from the Native Americans and settled there. In addition to that we took California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas away from Mexico in an illegal war. Then we didn't even keep any of the treaties we made.\nIf ALL the present day "illegals" didn't show up for work on the same day, they could bring this country to its knees. If they all went back to Mexico at the same time they could shut this country down.
765605
This was before the Americas were civilized, times change.\nDon't try to use some back in the day nonsense to justify illegal immigrants.\n\nMy paternal grandparents came here legally. Not everyone can trace their relatives from the first settlers, those people are rare.
399339
All and most came here legally.  It took time but my grandparents did it.  They did not want to begin their life in a new country starting out illegally.  Yes, they had the opportunity to come here illegally.\n\nThe American Indian migrated here from Asia.
1057673
My ancestors were cave men.\n \nI can prove it too, I have hair on my back.\n \nAnd my wife sometimes calls me a knuckle dragger!\n\nNow, Would all of you Non-furry types get off my land ?????\n\n Gee bunt, It looks like you are getting irritated because unlike you claim, most of the people here can trace their roots. Kinda knocks the wind out of you sail doesn it.\n\nI did give you a smart arse answer, and I thought about being serious and giving you a real answer, but you don't deserve one, and here is why.\nBecause I think that most here have already tried to explaine to a few of the knuckleheads here that we are not all immigrants. Being an immigrant is not hereditary, it can't be passed from generation to generation. if a person was born here, that person is a citizen, period. Get it?
498802
LEGALLY, yes; ILLEGALY, no. We are a nation whose ancestors were all immigrants. However, they came to this country and followed the law either to live and work here or to get citizenship. \n\nThese demonstrations on behalf of ILLEGAL immigrants are ludicrous!! How can their ILLEGAL status be justified at all? Immigration is controlled by the U.S. Government, and there are a set of rules and laws that should be followed. Six on my uncles from Nova Scotia used to come to this country each year to work in New York. They followed the law and obtained the papers necessary for them to come here and to work here. That should be the case for ALL immigrants. The Mexicans who illegally enter this country are draining its resources in areas such as health services, education, and welfare.  Let them apply legally to come here. Why should they be an exception to the laws.\n\nTo talk of their "rights" as though they we entitled to any as ILLEGAL immigrants is the height of stupidity.
405280
baby_balla_gaby, Chell, spd2romero@s... and latin_hussla all need to go back to school and learn something. For starters the USA bought the land from the Mexican government and not steal it. Yes our ancestors who came here took the land from the Native Americans living here at the time. All civilization came up form the Africa and Middle East regions and spread throughout the world. Asians did come across from Siberia to what is now Alaska a long time ago. So many of you really need to go back to school yourselves. Majority of the people who live in north America today are dececndts from either the Spanish and Europeans. The Native Americans were here centuries before but their ancestors came from Asia. \n\nIt seems to me that many of the people supporting illegal immigrants want to get rid of all laws in this land and everywhere else. Tell me I am wrong here but it is the truth. Like what was said before their were no laws in the land until the mid to late 1800’s. So you can’t argue about the past but you need to start thinking about the future. If the Mexican people rely on the money that their relatives send home then they are making their lives worse every day with that mentality. Instead of  going to the US for a better life why don’t you work on getting your government to fix your economy and not rely on someone’s else.
934470
No they were not criminals but.......\n\n"Today's immigrants are not so different from those who came to America from Europe a century ago.  The fact that the earlier wave came legally (there was no way to come illegally until the early 20th century, when Congress first took steps to limit immigration) didn't make them any more welcome at the time.  Then, as now, the fear was that immigrants from Ireland or Italy, wouldn't assimilate.  And, of course, eventually they did.\nThen, as now, racism and nativism were intrinsic parts of the discussion."
390101
As far as the immigration issue, I have no problem with anyone wanting to immigrate, but why all of the sneaking over? Does it just take so long to go through all of the red tape or something? Just curious. I didn't see any of the previous postings, but you are completely correct! Unless you are of American-Indian descent, TECHNICALLY none of the rest of our bloodlines originated in what is now the United States! It frustrates and saddens me to see that people are still so ignorant. Even more so when I see them passing these beliefs and attitudes down to their young children! I think there is no greater crime than that! Where did the innocence of youth go? Way to go though. Great topic!
1037901
Immigration records are available since about 1930 or so now.  Web sites like Genealogy.com specialize in presenting this sort of info.
911494
people who are born in a specific country are citizens of that country because of a birthright..who cares if they are from parents of illegal immigrants.....the only reason these people are illegal immigrants is because of the stupidity of Customs & Immigration in the US....think back to how our countries were formed....from the dregs of society being banished to other lands...THAT is our first history....so be careful who you tarnish...he/she just might be a distant relative
629004
I am sorry you have the wrong number=== Reason #9 Only American Indians have the right to criticize immigration policy \nOur response: \n\n9The idea that only "Native American" have the right to oppose immigration to the United States ignores the concept of "nation." There was no such thing as the political entity known as the the United States until the Founders created it in 1776.\n\nFurthermore, there are not grades of citizenship. One is either a citizen of this country, or one is not. We are not more or less citizens of the United States based on the number of generations preceding us on these shores.\n\nAnd, particularly, we are not more or less citizens of this country based on our skin color or ethnicity.\n\nSince everyone in the world has ancestors who immigrated from somewhere else, the immigration history of one's ancestors is probably not relevant to the formulation of wise public policy.\n\nand for that matter reason #1 1 Yes, my ancestors came from somewhere other than North America. As did yours, as did everyone else's—including those of the Native AmericansEveryone's ancestors, in fact, came from somewhere other than the place they now call home. In other words, every nation is a "nation of immigrants;" the slogan is meaningless and certainly no basis for public policy. \n\nBecause a policy was appropriate in the past does not mean it is necessarily eternally good. That my ancestors were immigrants is irrelevant to the formation of a prudent public policy today. \n\nIf my ancestors were pioneers, am I constrained to advocate pioneering and expansionism as the best policy for the nation? What would you think of someone who responded to you when you said you opposed expansionism: "But we're a nation of pioneers?"
419192
do your own homework.\nalso... you might get docked for not calling them native americans.
658248
It was not considered illegal when the European and Asian Americans came here, more like they thought they discovered this land.  It is shameless what they did to the Native Americans still.