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

Dear America: Notes of An Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas is a powerful, deeply personal memoir that takes readers on a journey through the demanding and difficult life of an illegal immigrant. This engaging and thought-provoking book recounts the life of Vargas after he discovers at the age of twelve he’s undocumented and without a chance of being granted legal status. Instead, he is forced to live a life of hiding and lying in order to survive.

The memoir opens with a vivid description of the moment when Vargas discovers his true identity. His grandmother, who had illegally brought him to America, finally tells him the truth about his status. This cruel truth in one moment shatters Vargas’ childhood dreams of one day becoming an astronaut and obtaining American citizenship. Vargas claims that this was the moment “all of my American dreams ended.”

Although Vargas knows that his future is bleak and that his current circumstances are precarious, he decides to fight for his rights and forge his own way in life. He makes use of his unique circumstances and slowly pieces together a life but is constantly haunted by the fear of being deported or caught. Despite his trepidation, Vargas perseveres and secures a degree in Political Science and eventually lands a job as a well-known journalist at the Washington Post. He reaches the peak of his career and is nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, without ever telling his colleague or superior his true identity.

Eventually, Vargas decides to use his voice and disclose his illegal immigrant status to the public in an article he published in the New York Times Magazine titled “My Life as An Undocumented Immigrant.” In his piece he powerfully declares,

“I am an American: undocumented. Believing otherwise puts the burden on me to prove I’m worthy of belonging, which I cannot do… That’s why I’m done living a country that insists I do not exist.”

Vargas’ testimony of life as an undocumented immigrant influences policy change and opens a national discussion about immigrant rights and the DREAM Act movement.

Vargas’ book is not only an inspiring read but is also a thoughtful display of how undocumented immigrants are impacted by their lack of access to rights and human dignity. Even though, at the essence of his story, Vargas’ story is one of success and determination, his journey is not easy and the reader is tempted to feel guilty or ashamed.

The theme of citizenship resonates throughout the book and Vargas’ defining of himself as an American, undocumented or not, transmits a powerful message of resilience, identity, and unity. Above all, Dear America: Notes of An Undocumented Citizen reveals a life of struggle and hope, of pain and triumph. It is an essential read and one that provokes a much-needed discussion about immigrants’ rights in the United States.