The Undocumented Americans

I would challenge one who tends to stereotype immigrants in a negative light to please open your mind and heart to read this book. It is convenient to collectively write off an entire ethnic group…..just like checking a box you no longer have to think about. But we DO have to think about it, as a moral imperative and for the hope that we are capable of restoring humanity in our world during these dark times.
One person who wrote a negative review indicated that the author should have more gratitude for the education she received at the expense of American taxpayers. That mentality perpetuates the concept that this is a class of people who have less human value intrinsically. By pure accident of location of birth, any one of us could exchange places with the individuals whose stories are told in this book. If you think about your own humanity that way, you may come to see the humanity in others.

This was a very insightful book. I felt the author’s anger at how the undocumented are treated, however, as an American it made me kind of angry. We have laws in the U.S. and as much as I dislike the treatment of undocumented workers, they can not just come here and expect the same privileges as Americans. As an American, I can’t just pick up and move to Sweden; as much as I would like to.
The author graduated from Harvard! Wow, that is awesome. I think some gratitude that this was paid for from Americans, nonetheless, would be appreciated. Many in the U.S. are not even able to attend this school…even though they are just as smart. Anyway, good read…but, the bitterness made it hard for me to feel sorry for her struggle.

This book is a powerful account of what its like to be Undocumented in the US. The author put so much time and effort into capturing these stories and allowing all of us a glimpse into others lives. Even more importantly, it allows undocumented people to finally see their stories portrayed (please dont lose sight of this as you read, rate and review this book. The intended audience is other undocumented individuals, especially young people. The rest of us are here as guests.)

The author paints each person as just that, a human being with nuances and complexity. A truly phenomenal piece of art that everyone needs to read.

Much of this book can be difficult to read, especially if you go in with no knowledge of the plight and treatment of those who live undocumented in the US. Its in our anger and discomfort that we learn. These fellow Americans deserve our time to learn more, and advocacy for better treatment and protections. (And if youre someone whos yelling about the rules, Id encourage you to sit with what youre saying about the importance of your life vs. someone elses.)

I was disappointed in this book after reading so many glowing reviews. The profanity was offensive and an unwelcome distraction. Obviously the author has had her share of struggles and tried to overcome them. Kudos to her. But her struggle with mental illness and the bitterness in her life were overwhelming and, again, a distraction from why I purchased the book – to read about the plight of undocumented Americans. I thought this book was of a journalistic nature, not a biography. I’m giving the book 2 stars because the author does enlighten us about the struggles of illegal immigrants in the chapters about New York, Flint, and Miami. Too bad I had to shift through so much extraneous and superfluous stuff to find that small bit of information.

As a former high school English teacher in a predominantly Latinx community and as an ESL teacher to Spanish-speaking adults, these are the stories that Ive heard but rarely read about, the real lives of undocumented Americans and the DACA youth whose hopes hang in the balance. With keen insight and unflinching honesty, the author has taken us around the country and into the corners of these individual lives, while at the same time exploring her complex feelings about the her own undocumented family. An important book at a crucial time in our country.

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