Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas

 Jose Antonio Vargas is a journalist, filmmaker and immigration rights activist. His book, Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen is about his life as an undocumented citizen living in the United States of America. 

His book is well written, engaging and moving. He was only 12 years old when he was sent to live in the United States from the Philippines. He did not know he was undocumented until it was time to get his learner's permit. He confided in a few about his status and was able to build a life for himself and became rather famous. He took a risk and revealed his undocumented status. This book is his story. His life story.

 A story that moved me and reminded me of moments in my childhood. You see my dad was born in Mexico and brought to the US as a baby. He had his green card but there was always moments of fear when we traveled back and forth from the US to Mexico. Would they let us back in? Fear when we went through border patrol. Would they pull us aside? Would they let us through? He eventually became a US citizen but it was a long, expensive process and took exactly 44 years. It took him that ong and he was documented. Let that sink in. It took him 44 years to become a US Citizen and he had the advantage that the farmer they worked for when he was a child sponsored him and the rest of the family. 

Vargas is resilient and his story is similar to that of many people who live in the US and don't have the right documentation. His story is important. Read this book.