Sandra Wong discovered her family's historic connection to Wong Kim Ark during her father's funeral in 2011, finding a newspaper clipping that revealed her ancestor's pivotal 1898 Supreme Court victory. The case established birthright citizenship for nearly all children born on American soil, a principle now challenged by President Trump's executive order limiting citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and temporary visa holders.

Wong Kim Ark, born in 1870 in San Francisco's Chinatown, sued the U.S. government at age 24 after being denied re-entry despite his American birth. The landmark Supreme Court decision came amid virulent anti-Chinese sentiment and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Even after winning, Wong faced repeated interrogations by border officials and had to obtain letters from white witnesses attesting to his birth in America.

His descendants, including Sandra and Norman Wong, grew up speaking English, watching Disney movies, and identifying as American without knowing their family's legal legacy. The case illustrates how citizenship doesn't guarantee complete acceptance, as family members faced discrimination, separation across oceans, and pressure to assimilate while maintaining cultural ties. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on birthright citizenship's constitutionality, Wong's descendants reflect on how his fight shaped their American identity.