Jose Antonio Vargas's Essay 'Outlaw'

In order to dehumanize a group of people, there must first be a clear separation between who is the “us” and “them.” The conservative documentary Border War: The Battle Over Illegal Immigration (2006), takes the viewer into the lives of several people who are impacted by the growing issue of undocumented Mexican immigrants crossing the The Mexico–United States border. This film creates a one-dimensional or single conception of undocumented immigrants through the use of language, such as “illegal” or “alien” and various other combinations. Another method is through the imagery it showed while there was dialogue being said. Most of the imagery in this film creates a narrative that undocumented Mexican immigrants are violent and a threat to Americans. Additionally, the sympathizers and protesters against border reform were portrayed as anti-American radicals. The production of this documentary was not only used to direct our view of undocumented immigrants to a single account, but also to establish false truths that turn undocumented immigrants into a “them.”

Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz’s, Labor and Legality is a book written on the Mexican immigrant network in the U.S. She centers it on the Lions, a group of Mexican men from Leon, Mexico that all share their lives and help explain the many networks and strategies that are used in order to excel and gain happiness. There have been many different sorts of misconceptions about immigrants, and in recent years about undocumented immigrants from Mexico. The U.S. has made a sort of war on illegal immigrants and has made it a seemingly high priority in the media and in politics. Therefore, many Americans have been mislead and ill-informed about the history of immigrants/undocumented immigrants. Gomberg-Muñoz’s Labor and Legality helps set us straight. She unveils undocumented immigrants for the people that they are instead of the criminals that the media leads many to believe. Although she doesn’t have a wide range of participants for her study, I believe that she addresses many of the misconceptions and just plain ignorance that American people have of people that are undocumented; why stereotypes are supported by the people themselves, why politicians include stronger illegal immigration laws, and everything in between. Many of her topics reveal a sort of colonialism that the U.S. practices on Mexico; the exploitation of undocumented peoples to the benefit of the U.S. through economics, hypocritical laws and campaigns, and the racist and prejudice consequences.

Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize winning author, shares his life-long journey as an undocumented immigrant in his text, “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant.” As the title suggests, Vargas attempts to convey to his audience, who likely never has and never will experience anything similar to what he has, what it is like to live as an immigrant in the United States of America. Skillfully, Vargas details the perfect number of personal stories to reach the emotional side of his audience, which is anyone who is not an immigrant. Through the use of his personal accounts Vargas is able to effectively communicate that immigrants are humans too while simultaneously proving his credibility, as he has experience and a vast amount of knowledge

The author of “Outlaw; My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” Jose Antonio Vargas conquered his fear of people knowing he is undocumented immigrant by being determined to succeed in life. Given that Jose and his grandmother fear people discovering the truth his life has fallen into pieces. As Jose and his grandmother discuss his situation she asks him, “What will happen if people find out? I couldn't say anything. After we got off the phone, I rushed to the bathroom on the fourth floor of newsroom, sat down on the toilet and cried”(10). As a result, Jose Vargas has become vulnerable and paranoid about everything in his life. This leads to depression and the inability to live a fulfilled life. Eventually Jose decides to face the music and reveal to his boss and fellow co workers about situation. Further in the article Jose decides to “… come forward, own up to what I´ve done, and tell my story to the best of my recollection [...] I don't know what to consequences will be telling my story” (11). In the end he felt relief and finally happy about telling everyone his secret. This challenge was difficult, but with his passion to be truly happy in his job and life he was able to overcome the situation. For the author, Jose Antonio Vargas this situation was difficult but with his family and friends, who supported him, he gathered the strength to defeat the problem.

The story of Enrique is fundamentally a story that stirs the emotions. While we may find reasonable the logical arguments laid out by the Nazario’s sources, and while Nazario’s ethos is backed by extensive notes, the tale is fundamentally an anecdotal account in the larger debate over immigration. Its appeal is pathetic in that it viscerally shows the life and travails of an immigrant from Central America, following the protagonist through drug addiction and beatings, danger and deportations, poverty and exploitation, and finally the thorny reunion with his mother. Nazario intentionally writes an engaging adventure (or misadventure) story using a third person narrative instead of focusing on Enrique’s own words. The writing and organizational style of Enrique’s Journey walks a thin line between ethnography and creative non-fiction, a choice that deliberately increases the emotional and imaginative appeal.

“Heroic Journeys: The Immigrant Experience as the Hero’s Journey in El Norte and La misma luna” is written by Professor Susan Wiebe Drake of Murray State University, analyzing the relationship between Joseph Campbell’s theory of “hero’s journey” and two Latino-produced films: El Norte and La misma luna. According to the author’s analysis, in both films, undocumented immigrants are portrayed as heroes, because they all went through three phases corresponding to Campbell’s theory about the heroic journey: departure, initiation, and return. However, one significant difference between the demonstration of heroes in these films and Campbell’s theory is that, neither of the endings of both films is explicitly shown as positive, due to the failure of undocumented immigrants to assimilate to American culture.

As the issue of undocumented immigrants once again dominates the news headlines, our politicians are faced with the difficult task of enforcing the laws of our land, yet humanely and ethically tending to those who illegally reside within America 's borders. As the political parties face off with differing ideologies, the undocumented, who are seen as victims from one side and criminals from the other, are caught in this citizenship purgatory until a political compromise can be achieved. Until such a compromise occurs, the nation is left dealing with the fallout of this population’s existence. Not belonging, they are left to fend for themselves while living in the shadows. Surviving through government assistance or using a stolen identity as a means to gain employment, the undocumented struggle to survive in a nation that is aware of their existence yet chooses to do nothing about it. To address the illegal immigration epidemic in the United States, its leaders must hold all lawbreakers accountable while compassionately and ethically addressing the issue through a balanced approach of amnesty and deportation.

There I was, hanging on the edge of my seat as I watched Documented. This was the story of Jose Antonio Vargas; the story of how one man helped lead action to reform immigration laws. Throughout the entire movie, I constantly asked myself what is American and can I even call myself that? Documented changed my viewpoint on immigration and opened up my eyes to the cruel world of bias and constant stereotyping. This documentary made it pertinent to me that immigration is misunderstood, that current laws are not fair, and that my views have been swayed by the elders to falsely view immigrants. Vargas, himself, made me rethink completely how I see America. Jose Antonio Vargas is an activist,

But what is a real American? A piece of paper? If not that, than how far back do you have to be able to trace your lineage to claim the right to live in this country? Author Jason De Leon aims to answer questions like this in his book, 'The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail '. De Leon, an anthropologist and expert in the field, took it upon himself to study the paths of immigrants coming into America through the Sonoran desert region in southern Arizona over the course of the last decade.

As of recent news, Barack Obama brings controversy to the public giving the opportunity to 4 million undocumented citizens to gain citizenship in the United States. Steve Breen brings about a controversial topic in his article “Living In the Shadows”; whether immigration brings destruction or improvement in the United States. He includes the articles “Diversity and Pioneer Spirit of Immigrants Made U.S Great” written by Enrique Morones and “Costs of Illegal Immigration Are Threat to Lives, Economy” by Brian Bilbray, which provide two different perceptions on the subject of immigration. While Morones advocates for humane immigration reform, supporting the traditional United States, Bilbray discourages illegal

America is no foreigner to immigrants. From the pilgrims who came searching for religious liberation to African slaves that had lost their liberty, America’s history has been shaped by the influx of immigrants from different parts of the world. As America grew, it became, and still is, a promised land for many. As a result, immigration has become a pivotal topic in the American culture and with time, the dynamics of immigration has changed due to a shifting of focus between different immigrant groups. From the Chinese exclusion act in 1882 to the Immigration Act of 1924, which restricted Eastern European immigrants’ access to the USA, different groups of people have been the principal focus of immigration reform (HISTORY Corporation, 2009). Since the early-20th century to present, the main group of focus with immigration reform has been Hispanics, mainly Mexicans. From deportation to discrimination, many Mexicans have struggled in the hands of immigration laws. This pain is evident in the cultural marks Mexicans have left in American Culture. A prime example of such mark is within the Chicano movement. Beginning in the 1960s, the Chicano movement aimed to address the social injustices that the Mexican population faced in America. (Mendoza, 2001). From reinstatement of land rights to voter and political rights, these social injustices propelled the Chicano movement to fight for civil rights. This passion fueled multiple artistic expressions and many Chicano artists mirrored

The immigration issue is a complicated facet of our society. The idea of illegal immigration has become significantly more prevalent within our country, as it has become a major topic of discourse and a force that polarizes America at large. Many Americans have begun to see immigration as a determent to our economy, our safety, and to the core values of America, other have encouraged immigration. Those in the latter group have seen the benefits of immigration, the mixing of cultures, and allowing those in dire situation to escape to the north, in search of a better life or The American Dream. In Aviva Chomsky’s book titled Undocumented: How Immigration Became Illegal, she explores the truly tragic plight of the immigrants, and the outcome

The stories covered by this course only scratch the surface of the Immigration discussion. It is amazing to think of the countless stories that were not published, the millions that were not alive to tell their story, and those that were too afraid to say it. “Immigration Stories, From Shadows to Spotlight” presents a powerful story that blurs the line between “good” and “bad” illegal immigrants. Mr. Hom not only came here under false pretenses, he fought for country and the “freedom” we so strongly claim. What is America without

Regardless of what your personal beliefs are on the matter, the topic of illegal immigration has exploded into the spotlight with the upcoming 2016 election. The best estimate at this point, although there are no exact figures, states that there are nearly 12 million people living illegally in the United States. Opinions are as diverse as America’s population, ranging from tighter border security and the criminalization of anyone caught entering the country illegally to opening the borders and issuing invitations. What people from both sides of the argument can agree on is that the process of immigration into this country is broken and in dire need of a reboot. This essay will explore what it means to be an immigrant, the shortcomings of

One of the most controversial issues of today’s society is illegal immigrants from Mexico moving into the United States. It is a problem that should be stopped but also if immigrants want to move to the U.S. they must contain a series of documentation and obtain citizenship. Savant, John said it best when he said “In issues where law and morality seem to clash, as in the current debate over undocumented immigrants. Imagination (which speaks to both heart and mind) can lead to right action”. Immigrants come from all over the place seeking to fulfill their wants and necessary needs to live. Meyer, Herbert defined immigrants as people who has a burning desire to be an American. Chavez, Linda, Meyer, Herbert, and Savant, John articles (“American Dreams, Foreign Flags”, “Why Americans Hate This Immigrants Debate”, and “Imagining the Immigrants”) all demonstrate negative and positive ways immigrants effect the U.S. throughout today’s society. Immigrants hurt the economic system in the U.S. Being an undocumented immigrant not only effect the way we live but get all the benefits of American citizen without playing for nothing at all. Not every immigrant is this way, others come to the U.S earn their citizenship, pay taxes, become an industry worker, and add diversity to the country.