Jose Antonio Vargas on Documenting His Status and Immigration in America

Updating "Dear America"

• ✍️ Jose Antonio Vargas released a new edition of his memoir, "Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen," during the Trump administration.
• ✈️ He shares his experience of leaving the U.S. for the first time since childhood to go to Tijuana for an interview to begin the process of becoming documented, a process previously unavailable to him.
• 🛂 This process was necessary to obtain a REAL ID, which is crucial for his frequent travel across the country.

Life as an Undocumented Journalist

• 📰 Vargas, who revealed his undocumented status in 2011, grapples with how immigration is central to national dialogue, yet many Americans lack understanding of the process and facts.
• 💰 He highlights that undocumented immigrants pay taxes and contribute to Social Security.
• 🚗 He points out that in many states, undocumented individuals cannot drive, questioning how they could vote if they cannot drive.
• 🗣️ Vargas asserts that myths and disinformation about undocumented people have been used to organize and elect politicians.

Shifting Public Opinion on Immigration

• 📉 Polls, including a Gallup poll, suggest a shift in public opinion, with fewer Americans believing immigration should be reduced compared to the previous year.
• 🤝 Vargas believes the public is beginning to understand the actions of ICE, citing instances of ICE apprehending farmers and caregivers.
• 📢 He notes that for the first time in his 14 years of work, he sees many people questioning the current immigration enforcement practices and saying, "this is not OK."
• 🏥 He observes people stepping up at hospitals, schools, and farms to support their neighbors, classmates, and co-workers.

Define American and Media Responsibility

• 🎯 Vargas founded Define American to reshape perceptions of undocumented people in media and literature.
• 📚 The organization aims to tell accurate and humane stories about immigration, countering the inhumanity often framing the conversation.
• ✍️ They assist Hollywood writers, book authors, and playwrights in accurately and humanely portraying immigrant stories.
• 📺 Vargas criticizes journalism for failing to fact-check White House officials in real-time regarding immigration, allowing lies and misinformation to become pervasive.