Immigration files to be preserved in local National Archives

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (KGO) -- Bay Area immigrants will have an easier time researching their family's history.

ABC7 News was at a citizenship ceremony in San Bruno Friday when officials announced they have completed a project that preserves two million immigrant files.

These so-called alien, or A-Files are immigration case files. The government used to destroy them after 75 years, but now, they will be preserved indefinitely.

"You can find out who came, at what time. Did they come on a ship, did they come on an airplane, what family member came with them," said John Kramer, USCIS district director said. "All of those interesting details about our families' histories can be found in an A-file."

Local immigrant groups fought to have Northern California A-Files stored at the National Archives office in San Bruno. They can be viewed there by family members and researchers.