text: was it easier back in the 1900 to get legalized? all you had to do was register your name and from where your comming from, and now if your from any other country than mexico you need a reason to be here, and if your from mexico you need a degree.  why is mexico so alienated? yeah it was easier and besides, some states belonged to mexico, ans a guy sold them to the us so most of the mexicans citizens that stayed in those states had to be legalized since thhose were part of the us