Democrats vying for the 2020 presidential nomination shared the stories of how their families arrived in the United States as immigration shapes up to be a defining issue on the campaign trail.

Twenty-one of the 24 Democratic White House hopefuls sat down with The New York Times and described the diverse background of their first American ancestors, ranging from English colonial settlers in the 1600s to students coming for an education in the 1950s.

Sen. Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility MORE (N.J.) spoke of appearing on the PBS show “Finding Your Roots” and learning of his genealogy from host Henry Louis Gates.

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“I am the descendant of slaves, of people that were born from a slave and a slave master,” Booker said.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenHillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Democratic senators ask inspector general to investigate IRS use of location tracking service MORE (Mass.) previously stirred controversy when she took a DNA test to prove that she had Native American history, but she did not mention that side of her family during the interview with the Times. Instead, she spoke of how her father’s grandfather came to the U.S. as a boy and help found a series of hardware stores in Oklahoma.

Many of the candidates have traced their heritages back to Europe.

Sen. Michael Bennet Michael Farrand BennetOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats tee up vote on climate-focused energy bill next week | EPA reappoints controversial leader to air quality advisory committee | Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' Senate Democrats demand White House fire controversial head of public lands agency Next crisis, keep people working and give them raises MORE (Colo.) said his family history stretches from the arrival of Mayflower to when his mother came at the age of 10 years old as a Polish Jew who had survived the Holocaust.

Rep. Seth Moulton Seth MoultonOvernight Defense: Nearly 500 former national security officials formally back Biden | 40 groups call on House panel to investigate Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Markey defeats Kennedy; Trump lauds America's enforcers in Wisconsin Moulton fends off primary challenges in Massachusetts MORE (Mass.) described his family as a “New England family from the start,” noting how his ancestors came from England as early as the 1600s and settled in the region.

Several other candidates — including Rep. Eric Swalwell Eric Michael SwalwellSwalwell calls for creation of presidential crimes commission to investigate Trump when he leaves office 'This already exists': Democrats seize on potential Trump executive order on preexisting conditions Swalwell: Barr has taken Michael Cohen's job as Trump's fixer MORE (Calif.), former Rep. John Delaney John DelaneyCoronavirus Report: The Hill's Steve Clemons interviews Rep. Rodney Davis Eurasia Group founder Ian Bremmer says Trump right on China but wrong on WHO; CDC issues new guidance for large gatherings The Hill's Coronavirus Report: Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says country needs to rethink what 'policing' means; US cases surpass 2 million with no end to pandemic in sight MORE (Md.), former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (Texas) and Rep. Tim Ryan Timothy (Tim) RyanNow's the time to make 'Social Emotional Learning' a national priority Mourners gather outside Supreme Court after passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Lincoln Project hits Trump for criticizing Goodyear, 'an American company' MORE (Ohio) — spoke of having Irish, English or Welsh familial ties.

Many first-generation Americans spoke of their parents arriving in the country for better opportunities, often to get an education.

“My parents arrived in the late 1950s. My mother came from India to go to the University of California, Berkeley, to study science,” said Sen. Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisHundreds of lawyers from nation's oldest African American sorority join effort to fight voter suppression Biden picks up endorsement from progressive climate group 350 Action 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing MORE (Calif.).

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang Andrew YangDoctor who allegedly assaulted Evelyn Yang arrested on federal charges The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden weighs in on police shootings | Who's moderating the debates | Trump trails in post-convention polls Buttigieg launches his own podcast MORE’s parents also came to the U.S. to study at the school in the 1960s from Taiwan.

Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBillionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice MORE, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., described his father landing at John F. Kennedy Airport in the 1970s from Malta.

“He said it was such a chaotic and intimidating scene that he briefly thought about getting right back on the plane and heading home,” Buttigieg told The Times.

Sen. Bernie Sander’s (I-Vt.) father came to the U.S. from Poland when he was a teenager. His mother’s family came from Russia.

“And when we talk about the fact that I am the son of an immigrant, I am somewhat sensitive to the issue of immigration and immigration reform and the kind of ugly attacks that we’re seeing right now on the immigrant community,” Sanders said.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock Steve BullockMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Senate Democrats demand White House fire controversial head of public lands agency Pence seeks to boost Daines in critical Montana Senate race MORE admitted that he did not know precise details about his family’s immigration stories.

“I should know that and I don’t know,” Bullock said with a laugh. “I know that the family history is probably not as solid … and I know that on my mother’s side, I think her great-great-grandfather settled in Henry country in Iowa. And on my father’s side, I’m not sure where."