We All Have An Immigration Story (Even If We Have Forgotten It)...

I was born and raised in Southern Alberta. My dad was born in the same city I grew up in. My mom was born and raised in Manitoba.

My maternal grandma, the baby of her family, was also born in Manitoba. But her oldest brother? He was born on a ship—somewhere between Ukraine and Canada—as their family sailed toward a new life.

On my paternal side, my grandpa was born in Holland. My paternal grandma was born in Canada, but my great-grandparents on that side were also Dutch immigrants.

For one reason or another, our families left everything behind to build a life in Canada. Which means we all have an immigration story, even if it’s not immediate. Even if we’ve forgotten it.

I share this because it’s important to look back at history—not just Canadian history, but our own family lineages. There’s always a deeper meaning when we do.

The Message That Made Me Pause

The other day, I posted a picture of my 13-year-old daughter giving me a pedicure. She was sitting on the floor because her little nail station is set up for manicures, not pedicures. She does it for fun.

An acquaintance messaged me: “It looks like you’re in the basement of a Mongolian daycare.”

Then: “Inside joke, never mind… do you watch the news?”

I replied that I definitely do not watch the news.

He continued, telling me that many daycares run by immigrants in Minnesota are currently being investigated for fraud—claiming children are in their care when they’re not.

My first thought was, “Is this guy for real?” But I listened. I was curious where he was going with this comment, because honestly, it felt like it came out of nowhere.

“Is this legit?” I asked.

“Yes, it is. It’s all over the news,” he said.

I told him that one of the reasons I don’t watch the news is because it’s often inaccurate and portrays only one side of the story.

He quickly backpedaled. “Never mind, we don’t need to debate this.” But then he kept sending me videos—two white men showing up at daycares, demanding answers, holding papers with what appeared to be “data,” and being turned away.

Critical Thinking Over Assumptions

I responded, explaining that this isn’t about debating right or wrong. It’s about the ability to critically think about what we see and hear. To do our own research before accepting information as fact.

We should not be forming assumptions based on one side of the story or one piece of the puzzle. This becomes even more dangerous when we already have biases or preconceived notions about a particular group of people.

I told him I wasn’t denying the possibility that fraud could be happening. But we have to be able to see things holistically—not from a jaded perspective shaped by how we personally feel about immigrants, race, or any other topic.

Here’s what’s important to consider: Minnesota has recently been raided by ICE, and there’s a lot of hate brewing—specifically targeting immigrants and ramping up racism in that state. I’m not surprised to see videos of two white men showing up at daycares demanding answers.

The man then said to me, “Look how those immigrants respond.”

I challenged that comment. No daycare or day home provider is going to open their door and share data or information about the kids in their care to strangers—especially unannounced ones.

This individual, who has no children of his own, proceeded to say that he could walk into the YMCA and be treated better than those people treated those men. He said he could walk into a school and up to the front desk no problem.

But that’s not the same thing.

As parents, we know you can walk into a school office and speak to reception. But you can’t just start wandering the hallways without being questioned. Why? Because the safety of children and youth in that building is the priority.

Adults have a responsibility to keep children safe and information confidential—whether they’re in a school, a daycare, or a day home. At no point should people be turning over information on demand, especially to strangers showing up at their door.

When the Conversation Ends

As I continued to invite him to think about things from a wider perspective, he got mad and defensive.

“Okay, bye. I see you stand with immigrants.”

And that’s where I want to stop and say this:

Even if people are guilty of daycare fraud, we need to stop blaming immigrants and using hate and racism to form our opinions and responses to situations. This includes all people of color—they don’t have to be immigrants to be targeted.

It is more critical than ever to check our biases. To take a good, hard look at the world around us and what else is currently happening in the areas where this information is coming from. To ask critical questions. To think for ourselves.

We cannot form assumptions and opinions based solely on what we see on social media or in the news.

Fact-check. Do your own research. Consider context. Ask who benefits from the narrative being pushed.

And please—stop with the hate.

We All Have an Immigration Story

I started this post by sharing my family’s immigration story because it matters. Because when we forget where we came from, it becomes easier to “other” people who are doing exactly what our ancestors did—seeking safety, opportunity, and a better life.

My great-great-uncle was born on a ship between Ukraine and Canada. I don’t know if he had a birth certificate, “papers,” or documented proof of his arrival. All I know is that these choices were driven by a family’s hope for something better.

That’s an immigration story.

We can do better. We have to.