You must check out the current issue of Time Magazine. Jose Antonio

You must check out the current issue of Time Magazine.

Jose Antonio Vargas first spoke out about his story as an undocumented immigrant almost a year ago.

What touched me the most were his words: “I decided then that I could never give anyone reason to doubt I was an American. I convinced myself that if I worked enough, if I achieved enough, I would be rewarded with citizenship. I felt I could earn it.”
His story parallels many other untold tales of the Asian American experience. The other part of us who’ve find our journeys here in America through undocumented means and are still coping with the challenges of living in the states and treated sometimes as secondary citizens. While immigration is a third rail issue, it is something that we can never hide under the rug completely. It will eventually manifest itself through the stories of people we’ve cared for, respected and long admired, and it is then that we will realize what its like to face and confront this national issue. Today, more than ever, our country is faced with the challenge of creating an equitable immigration system. Only with empowered and educated citizens and politicans can we continue to collectively find solutions for this issue.

Jose Antonio Vargas is Filipino. He is the face of Asian Pacific Islander heritage. He hopes to live the American Dream – of finding purpose, hope and a new future in this country.

UPDATE: Shortly after Jose Antonio Vargas’ story on the issue of the undocumented was published in TIME, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that it would no longer deport young undocumented residents who qualify for the DREAM act. Those eligible will receive work permits.

Read Jose Antonio Vargas story at The New York Times.

What do you think of President Obama’s decision?