Dear America

Notes of an Undocumented Citizen

By: Jose Antonio Vargas

Narrated by: Jose Antonio Vargas

Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, called “the most famous undocumented immigrant in America,” tackles one of the defining issues of our time in this explosive and deeply personal call to arms.

“This is not a book about the politics of immigration. This book––at it's core––is not about immigration at all. This book is about homelessness, not in a traditional sense, but in the unsettled, unmoored psychological state that undocumented immigrants like myself find ourselves in. This book is about lying and being forced to lie to get by; about passing as an American and as a contributing citizen; about families, keeping them together, and having to make new ones when you can’t. This book is about constantly hiding from the government and, in the process, hiding from ourselves. This book is about what it means to not have a home.

After 25 years of living illegally in a country that does not consider me one of its own, this book is the closest thing I have to freedom.”

—Jose Antonio Vargas, from Dear America

My new favorite book

I am terrible at reading books for leisure. I started this book a long time ago, in print. I kept trying to go back to it, but I'm just really bad at making the time.

I finally decided to give Audiobooks a try and I am so glad I did. This book is officially my favorite book. The audio version is read by Jose Antonio Vargas himself, and I felt the pain in all of his words. The whole book is amazing, but the last few chapters had me crying many times as he put into words the pain that I struggle with so much. The pain of what I've lost, the pain of not belonging, the pain of uncertainty, the pain of being stuck, the pain of feeling ungrateful, and the pain of not having a home. Ni de aquí, ni de allá. My life story.

I highly recommend this book for anyone, regardless of your experience with or knowledge of our immigration system. He adds a historical policy framework throughout for a better understanding. Read this book, or listen to the audiobook, but absorb this. Somehow.

For educators, I would find a way to add this to your curriculum. It's so good. 💙

Dear Antonio

I am so grateful to you for sharing your story. My Greek and Brazilian ancestors immigrated only 100 years ago, and my Western European family came within the last 300 years. They had the desire to migrate for a better life, a fresh start. And so do I. I agree that movement is a universal human right.

Safety, education, health care... these are the gifts our wealthy society has the ability to give to each other, if only we would lobby and vote for it. Will we choose to see the humanity in each of us? Will we care enough that others’ needs be met? Will we model and talk about these values with our children?

Thank you for your radical transparency. Thank you for being an educator. Thank you for telling the truth, even though it made your life harder. I admire you and am so thankful for your story.

A great source on understanding immigration

when you're ready to hear a first person perspective on how the immigration laws and rhetoric affect real people.

Highly recommended read

This is a must read. So many of us don't know how undocumented immigrates feel, what they and their families go through. For those of you who are immigrates this read might touch home. Very powerful book.

Enlightening Story

Learned a lot. I agree that everyone should listen to him tell his story. Maybe a movie in his future.