1st Generation American

[darkerhorse]

If a permanent immigrant to the U.S. never became a U.S. citizen would you still refer to this person as a "1st generation American"?

[MarcuccioV]

If a permanent immigrant to the U.S. never became a U.S. citizen would you still refer to this person as a "1st generation American"?

I can't speak for any 'official' designation, but IMHO, ANY immigrant born outside the US is "pre" 1st gen. Only children of such a person would be considered as 1st generation.

[erudita74]

I agree with Mark on this one. My parents were born in Manhattan and Brooklyn, although they were the children of immigrants, but ones who had naturalized. They always considered themselves first generation Americans, and I have always considered myself a second generation American. So, if things have changed in the literature concerning this designation, I have no knowledge of it.
Erudita

[darkerhorse]

I was assuming a foreign-born immigrant was considered as a 1st generation American, following what I thought was commonly accepted terminology:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigrant_generations

My question was whether citizenship was taken into account.

I didn't think there was disagreement over the definition.

[MarcuccioV]

I was assuming a foreign-born immigrant was considered as a 1st generation American, following what I thought was commonly accepted terminology:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigrant_generations

My question was whether citizenship was taken into account.

I didn't think there was disagreement over the definition.

Citizenship shouldn't matter, as long as they didn't repatriate...