Illegal: Reflections of an Undocumented Immigrant (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780252079863)

A day after José Ángel N. first crossed the United States border from Mexico, he was caught and then released onto the streets of Tijuana. Undeterred, N. crawled back through a tunnel to San Diego, where he entered the United States to stay. Illegal: Reflections of an Undocumented Immigrant is his timely and compelling memoir of building a new life in America.

Arriving in the 1990s with a ninth grade education, N. traveled to Chicago where he found access to ESL and GED classes. He eventually attended college and graduate school and became a professional translator.

Despite having a well-paying job, N. was isolated by a lack of legal documentation. Travel concerns made promotions impossible. The simple act of purchasing his girlfriend a beer at a Cubs baseball game caused embarrassment and shame when N. couldn't produce a valid ID. A frustrating contradiction, N. lived in a luxury high-rise condo but couldn't fully live the American dream. He did, however, find solace in the one gift America gave him--his education. Ultimately, N.'s is the story of the triumph of education over adversity. In Illegal, he debunks the stereotype that undocumented immigrants are freeloaders without access to education or opportunity for advancement. With bravery and honesty, N. details the constraints, deceptions, and humiliations that characterize alien life "amid the shadows."

Author: Jose Angel N
ISBN-10: 0252079868
ISBN-13: 9780252079863
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Language: English
Published: 01/24/2014
Pages: 136
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 8.90h x 5.90w x 0.50d

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 01/01/2014 pg. 26
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2014
Library Journal 03/01/2014 pg. 106