I am descended from an illegal immigrant

My great grandmother's family moved from England to Canada during World War I. She was 16 years old. When she grew up and got married, she and her husband walked into Buffalo, New York across the Peace Bridge. They initially planned to move back to Canada and she didn't seek citizenship. In fact, she walked back across the bridge to have her first child so he would be a Canadian citizen. They were so sure they would move back.

All their other children were born in the US and over time they realized they were staying. During World War II, my great grandmother was trying to get food stamps while her husband was at work. He had become a citizen years earlier. She had not. Food stamps were only for citizens. In trying to get food stamps she alerted the government to the fact that she was here illegally.

They threatened to deport her. At first she thought, going back to Canada would not be so bad. But they weren't going to deport her to Canada. She wasn't a citizen there either. They were going to deport her back to England. During World War II.

Finally, the officials agreed that if she went back into Canada and then reentered the US as if it were the first time and immediately applied for citizenship she could stay.

My great uncle, her first child, born in Canada, was later awarded American citizenship for fighting for our country in World War II.

How different would my family story be if my great grandmother had been deported to England? I am so thankful she was not.

My mom and great grandmother in 1981

(shamelessly stole this picture from my mother's blog: http://ddessoyemount.blogspot.com/)