Jose Antonio Vargas

        I chose Jose Antonio Vargas as the topic of my review. The name of the article is “My life as an undocumented immigrant,” and in it, he details his journey through time from 12 years old in the Philippines, through high school, college, graduation and entering the workforce. In it he lies bare his soul, telling his fears, hopes and dreams coming of age in a country where he is unwelcome and unwanted by those who are against open borders and illegal immigration.

        He was kept in the dark about his citizenship, his grandfather having obtained a false, forged green card in his name. Upon reaching 16  years of age, like every other kid his age, he went to the local DMV to obtain his driver’s permit. To his shock, the clerk handed it back to him and whispered that it was a fake, and warned him to not come back again.

        He tells his tale with an undeniable sense of earnestness. In between the lines he put to paper one can almost hear his plea to just be accepted by the country that he knows better than his birthplace, to no longer feel the need to hide behind shadowy half-truths and omissions. This is the country in which he attended middle school, had his first kiss, and obtained his first job, working at the counter of a local fast food restaurant, like every other 16-year-old in need of a little money.

        Upon graduation from college, he encountered another problem. He wasn’t able to attain internships or a job in his chosen career without the proper documents. So he decided to enlist the help of some friends. Using a friend’s address in Oregon, where the laws were more lax than any other state, he wrote himself letters, sending them to his friend’s address. He put a piece of tape over the warning “valid for work only with INS authorization” and photocopied it. Driving to Oregon from Washington, armed with these articles, as well as his college ID, he was able to receive a driver’s license! Finally, he was able to pursue his dreams.