article_snippet: How anyone can brand Carl an illegal immigrant is beyond me. '
article_snippet: You hear stories of illegal immigrants being allowed to stay in the UK under some crazy human rights law yet
article_snippet: Mr Hill added: 'When you have known someone 30 years you don't think they're American or
article_snippet: whatever country they come from.
article_snippet: Mr Hill said: 'I had no knowledge at all of Carl's immigration status.
article_snippet: , I've worked here for 40 years - but now I've been told I've been working illegally all that time, even though I've got a National Insurance number and paid my taxes. '
article_snippet: A The Home Office spokesman said: 'People born overseas to a British parent do not gain an automatic right to long term residency in the UK, and the onus is on the individual to ensure the individual immigration status is free of time restrictions. '
highlights_snippet: 56-year-old was born in US to but British mother brought him here in 1960s .
  
highlights_snippet: him has since worked on the railway and for post office and has family here .
  
highlights_snippet: But after 50 years, immigration officials caught up with him over papers .
  