Illegality

For all the talk that always goes on about illegal immigration, it is extremely rare that we ever hear any voices speaking from within that experience. This is largely due to the extreme danger that undocumented immigrants experience when they allow their status as such to become known. This tenuous state of being is highlighted in item #3 of this article, wherein the author describes his childhood as an undocumented immigrant as having “all the secrecy of being a superspy, but none of the attendant casual sex with hilariously-named women”.

The tongue-in-cheek style of this article invites the reader to really relate to this subset of the American experience which is so often discussed but hardly ever understood. By allowing themselves to relate, the reader is opened to empathy. Once empathy with a maligned group has been achieved, judgement and prejudice begin to recede, and true community can be fostered. The immigration may be illegal, but the people who are immigrating are not. People cannot be illegal, and if the issue of illegal immigration is to be solved in a humanitarian way, that philosophy must be at the heart of the effort. For the average person, this article and others like it, which open our awareness to the realities of these undocumented individuals, may be a good starting point. 

5 Weird Realities of Growing Up with 'Illegal' Parents