Define American: My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant

JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS Author

09/21/2015 Added

1810 Plays

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In 2011, journalist Jose Antonio Vargas “outed” himself as an undocumented immigrant in an essay published in The New York Times Magazine. The article stunned media and political circles and attracted worldwide coverage. Vargas has since testified at a United States Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration reform, and has been at the forefront of challenging the media's coverage of undocumented immigrants. His film, “Documented,” chronicles his own journey while closely exploring the plight of other undocumented immigrants in America and the politics that surround the hotly contested issue of “legal status.” CNN debuted the film in June 2014.

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[00:00:02.735]♪ MUSIC ♪
[00:00:09.008]>>> TODAY YOU'RE PART OF AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION OF OUR
[00:00:14.614]FUTURE.
[00:00:14.948]THE E.N. THOMPSON LECTURE SERIES THE DIVERSITY OF NEW POINTS, OF
[00:00:19.552]NATIONAL POLITICAL ISSUES TO, PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING, AND
[00:00:24.057]ENCOURAGE IN THE UNIVERSITY AND THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.
[00:00:28.595]SINCE THE INCEPTION SINCE 1988, HUNDREDS OF SPEAKERS HAVE
[00:00:32.932]INSPIRED AND CHALLENGED US, MAKING THE FORUMS, ONE OF THE
[00:00:38.938]PREEMINENT SPEAKER SERIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
[00:00:41.841]IT ALL STARTED WHEN THOMPSON, IMAGINED A FORUM ON GLOBAL
[00:00:48.648]ISSUES THAT WOULD INCREASE UNDERSTANDING FROM EVENTS AROUND
[00:00:52.986]THE WORLD.
[00:00:55.221]HE WAS INFLUENCED, HELPING TO FOUND THE UNITED NATION, AND THE
[00:01:01.761]WORK WITH THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTE.
[00:01:03.363]AS PRESIDENT OF THE COOPER FOUNDATION IN LINCOLN,
[00:01:10.103]JACK PLEDGED SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING FOR THE SERIES.
[00:01:10.503]THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, AND THE EXTENSION OF THE PERFORMING
[00:01:16.042]ARTS.
[00:01:16.643]LATER, JACK AND HIS WIFE, CREATED THIS HANDSOME FAMILY
[00:01:21.648]FARM TO SUPPORT THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN.
[00:01:26.686]TODAY, MAJOR SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY THE FOUNDATION, THE CENTER OF
[00:01:30.790]PERFORMING ARTS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA.
[00:01:34.027]WE HOPE THESE TALKS, SPARK AN EXCITING CONVERSATION AMONG YOU.
[00:01:40.667]AND NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW.
[00:01:57.450]>>> GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ASSOCIATE VICE
[00:02:00.386]CHANCELLOR HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN.
[00:02:04.023]IT'S MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE E.N. THOMPSON LECTURE
[00:02:06.726]SERIES ON WORLD ISSUES. FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER CENTURY, THE
[00:02:10.830]UNIVERSITY HAS PARTNERED WITH THE PERFORMING ARTS TO BRING YOU
[00:02:15.468]THIS FORUM.
[00:02:16.336]TONIGHT WE'RE PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY THE PROGRAM COMMITTEE,
[00:02:24.110]IT'S A STUDENT PROGRAM.
[00:02:26.546]TO ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY.
[00:02:30.683]THIS YEAR, THE FORUM SPEAKERS, IS ADDRESSING ACTIVISM.
[00:02:36.589]IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS.
[00:02:40.593][APPLAUSE] >> REAL QUICK, BEFORE HE COMES
[00:02:50.503]OUT, LET ME TELL YOU HE OUTED HIMSELF AS AN UNDOCUMENTED
[00:02:54.007]IMMIGRANT IN AN ESSAY, PUBLISHED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE.
[00:02:58.811]IT STUNNED POLITICAL AND MEDIA CIRCLES HIS FILM, DOCUMENTED,
[00:03:06.185]CHRONICLES HIS OWN JOURNEY WHILE FOLLOWING THE OTHER PLIGHTS OF
[00:03:09.656]ON OTHER IMMIGRANTS.
[00:03:11.257]HE'S THE AUTHOR OF DEFINE AMERICAN, A MEDIA AND CULTURE
[00:03:15.762]CAMPAIGN TO ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE
[00:03:19.299]CITIZENSHIP IN THE CHANGING AMERICA.
[00:03:22.068]LET'S KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING AFTER THE REMARKS, YOU MAY
[00:03:26.839]TWEET.
[00:03:27.140]AND THE TITLE OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION IS DEFINE AMERICAN:
[00:03:32.345]MY LIFE AS AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT.
[00:03:35.548]LET'S GIVE A WARM HUSKERS WELCOME TO JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS.
[00:03:39.018][APPLAUSE] >> I CAN'T REALLY SEE YOU.
[00:03:54.934]BUT I WANT TO TAKE A PHOTO, SO SMILE.
[00:03:57.437]SMILE.
[00:04:04.844]THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE.
[00:04:06.646]I HAVE TO SAY, BY THE WAY, BEFORE I GOT HERE LAST NIGHT,
[00:04:10.149]GETTING READY TO PACK TO COME HERE, I WENT ON FACEBOOK.
[00:04:13.753]I WENT ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
[00:04:17.656]AND I SAW THIS POST THE FACT THAT I WAS COMING HERE, AND I
[00:04:23.963]SAW A COMMENTS FROM JOHNNY SAND.
[00:04:25.965]THE COMMENT WAS, IF THIS IS TRUE, THAT I'M COMING HERE, I
[00:04:31.037]JUST LOST ALL RESPECT FOR NEBRASKA.
[00:04:34.140]ILLEGAL ALIENS SHOULD BE DEPORTED, NOT GIVEN SPEAKING
[00:04:38.978]INVITATIONS AT NEBRASKA.
[00:04:40.513]IF JOHNNY SANDS IS HERE, PLEASE SPEAK UP.
[00:04:48.454]I'M REALLY REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE, AND I APPRECIATE THE
[00:04:53.826]EFFORT OF ALL THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT MADE SURE THAT THIS
[00:04:59.298]HAPPENED TODAY.
[00:05:00.066]IT'S NOT EVERY DAY IN THIS COUNTRY, GIVEN THAT WE'RE
[00:05:05.505]DEPORTING AND ARRESTING AND DETAINING UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE
[00:05:08.041]LIKE ME EVERY DAY, THAT YOU INVITE SOMEONE LIKE ME TO GIVE A
[00:05:13.046]SPEECH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
[00:05:21.954]YOU'RE LOOKING AT ONE OF THE MOST PRIVILEGED IF NOT THE MOST
[00:05:26.159]PRIVILEGED UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT IN AMERICA, AND THAT
[00:05:30.129]PRIVILEGE, COMES THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE PUBLIC.
[00:05:31.964]SO THE OTHER DAY, WHEN ANN TWEET, AND TWEETS ACCORDING TO
[00:05:39.806]TRUMP, ALL ILLEGALS SHOULD BE DEPORTED IN TWO YEARS.
[00:05:43.710]AND THAT'S THE REASON HE'S SKYROCKETING POLL NUMBERS ARE UP
[00:05:49.115]THERE.
[00:05:49.449]SO I TWEETED RIGHT BACK, I SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, I'M
[00:05:55.254]NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
[00:05:58.291]AND CC'D DONALD TRUMP, AND THEN I HEARD BACK FROM A GUY, DENNIS
[00:06:09.535]O'TOOLE, AND I REMEMBER SEEING HIS NAME, ARE YOU IRISH?
[00:06:15.808]AND THEN HE SAID, NO, I'M AMERICAN.
[00:06:20.546]AND I SAID, WAIT A SECOND, FROM WHERE?
[00:06:23.883]WHERE ARE YOUR ANCESTORS FROM?
[00:06:26.819]HOW DID THEY GET HERE, WHO PAID?
[00:06:29.756]AND HE RESPONDED MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, I WAS BORN HERE BY
[00:06:34.026]AMERICAN PARENTS, PERIOD.
[00:06:35.661]AND THEN I SAID, IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
[00:06:39.265]DO YOU KNOW THE HISTORY OF IRISH IMMIGRANTS AND THE RACISM THEY
[00:06:42.902]FACED?
[00:06:43.903]AND THEN HE SAID NO.
[00:06:45.772]IRISH CAME LEGAL.
[00:06:49.842]AND THEN I PICKED UP A COUPLE OF MY HISTORY BOOKS, AND SAID, DID
[00:06:55.281]YOU KNOW THAT BORDER PATROL WAS BORN IN 1924, ELLIS ISLAND IN
[00:07:00.720]1892 IS WHEN IT OPENED, MANY IRISH IMMIGRATED HERE, AND THEN
[00:07:10.196]HAVE YOU READ THE BOOK, HOW THE IRISH BECAME WHITE?
[00:07:15.768]TO MY SURPRISE, DENNIS FOLLOWED ME ON FACEBOOK, AND ON TWITTER,
[00:07:19.305]SO I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT, IF DENNIS IS WATCHING, THANK YOU
[00:07:24.777]FOR FOLLOWING.
[00:07:25.878]BUT I'M SHARING THIS WITH YOU, I WANTED TO ACCENTUATE THE FACT
[00:07:33.119]THAT WE MUST INSIST ON FACING OUR FULL HISTORY.
[00:07:37.223]WE MUST INSIST ON PREACHING BEYOND THE CHOIR.
[00:07:44.263]WITH OTHERS WHO MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH US, AND FIGURE OUT WHY THEY
[00:07:48.901]DON'T.
[00:07:49.202]CALLING US RACIST, OR A BIG GOT, THAT'S EASY, TRYING TO
[00:07:53.739]UNDERSTAND THE ROOT OF THE DISCONNECTION, THAT'S HARDER,
[00:07:57.009]AND THAT'S MORE NECESSARY.
[00:07:58.744]THAT'S WHY I ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE IF THEY'RE POLITE ENOUGH.
[00:08:04.083]ON TWITTER -- ABOVE ALL, WE MUST INSIST ON DIFFICULT,
[00:08:13.960]UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATION.
[00:08:15.328]SO I'M SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT IMMIGRATION, BUT I'M NOT.
[00:08:18.731]I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT DEFINE AMERICAN, WHICH TO US IS MORE
[00:08:23.369]THAN ABOUT IMMIGRATION.
[00:08:25.238]DEFINE AMERICAN IS A NONPARTISAN MEDIA ORGANIZATION, THAT SEEKS
[00:08:33.246]TO ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION AROUND RACE, CITIZENSHIP AND
[00:08:37.984]THE CHANGING AMERICA. MY JOB IS TO CONNECT THE DOT.
[00:08:42.020]SO MOST RECENTLY, DEFINE AMERICAN PARTNERED WITH MTV TO
[00:08:47.093]MAKE A FILM CALLED WHITE PEOPLE.
[00:08:49.862]IT'S AIRED ON MTV A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
[00:08:54.901]A LOT OF CONTROVERSY.
[00:08:55.501]BUT FOR ME, IT WAS MY OWN WAY WITH THE PAST FOUR YEARS TO
[00:09:01.274]ENGAGE WITH YOUNG AMERICANS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, AND I WAS
[00:09:05.778]STRUCK BY TWO THINGS.
[00:09:07.847]ONE ACCORDING TO A MTV STUDY, FOUR OUT OF FIVE YOUNG AMERICANS
[00:09:12.685]ARE UNCOMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT RACE.
[00:09:14.787]NUMBER TWO, IT WAS FASCINATING LISTENING AND TALKING TO YOUNG
[00:09:18.658]WHITE AMERICANS, ABOUT THEIR OWN IMMIGRATION BACKGROUND.
[00:09:22.962]I DID AN EVENT IN GEORGIA.
[00:09:24.964]THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, THREE, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.
[00:09:27.833]AND I GOT INVITED SO I WENT.
[00:09:30.770]THIS YOUNG MAN AND I GOT IN A DEBATE IN FRONT OF PEOPLE AND I
[00:09:34.507]ASKED HIM, HEY, WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
[00:09:37.677]AND HE SAID, I'M AMERICAN.
[00:09:39.679]>> NO, NO, BUT WHERE ARE YOU FROM.
[00:09:46.085]>> HE SAID, I'M WHITE.
[00:09:48.054]I SAID, WHITE IS NOT A COUNTRY, WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
[00:09:52.692]AND HE'S ASKING, HOW DARE DO I COME HERE ILLEGALLY, AND I
[00:09:56.829]TURNED THE TABLES AROUND ON HIM, AND SAID, WHERE DID YOU COME
[00:10:00.866]FROM, HOW DID YOU GET HERE, AND WHO PAID?
[00:10:06.405]IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, HOW CAN YOU EMPATHIZE
[00:10:10.109]OF THEIR OWN IMMIGRATION BACKGROUND IS.
[00:10:13.045]HOW DARE YOU ASK THEM HOW THEY GOT HERE, WHEN MAYBE YOUR OWN
[00:10:20.119]ANCESTORS DIDN'T NEED PAPER TO GET HERE.
[00:10:22.488]I'M PERFECTLY AWARE OF THE THREE ANSWERS OF THE QUESTIONS.
[00:10:25.725]WHERE DID I COME FROM?
[00:10:29.061]THE PHILIPPINES.
[00:10:30.896]HOW DID IT GET HERE, MY GRANDFATHER SMUGGLED ME HERE,
[00:10:36.502]AND WHO PAID?
[00:10:37.336]MY MOTHER AND GRANDFATHER.
[00:10:40.172]AFTER 12 TO 14 YEARS OF BUILDING A CAREER, AND LYING MY WAY
[00:10:49.148]THROUGH THE CAREER, AND AFTER ACHIEVING WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE
[00:10:53.052]AMERICAN, I HAD ENOUGH, AND DECIDED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN
[00:10:56.055]MY LIFE, I WOULD COME OUT.
[00:11:00.593]THE FIRST COMING OUT WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, WHEN I TOLD THE U.S.
[00:11:04.463]HISTORY CLASS THAT I WAS GAY.
[00:11:06.866]THE SECONDS COMING OUT, TOOK 12 MORE YEARS, I DECIDED AGAINST
[00:11:11.804]THE ADVICE OF 25 LAWYERS, ISN'T THAT THE MOST UNATTRACTIVE PHOTO
[00:11:19.812]YOU'VE SEEN?
[00:11:20.846]SO THIS GETS PUBLISHED AGAINST THE ADVICE OF MY LAWYERS, AND
[00:11:25.651]WAITING IN NEW YORK, I STARTED PACKING MY STUFF, AND I WITHDREW
[00:11:30.856]MY MONEY FROM MY BANK, AND GETTING READY TO HEAR FROM
[00:11:37.129]SOMEONE FROM IMMIGRATION.
[00:11:38.764]AND INSTEAD, I HEARD FROM BILL O'RILEY, AND EVERY SHOW, AND
[00:11:48.774]THEN I WAITED.
[00:11:49.108]AND NOTHING HAPPENED.
[00:11:52.311]A FEW MONTHS INTO THIS, I CONTACTED THE EDITOR OF TIME
[00:11:56.615]MAGAZINE AND SAID HEY, I WANT TO WRITE A STORY OF WHY THEY
[00:12:00.853]HAVEN'T DEPORTED ME.
[00:12:03.556]AT THIS POINT, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, DEPORTED 5,000
[00:12:09.328]PEOPLE, IN 2011 ALONE.
[00:12:11.997]AND DEPORTING MORE THAN 2 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE PAST TWO
[00:12:17.069]YEARS.
[00:12:17.369]THIS IS HAPPENING ALL AROUND ME AND NO ONE IS TOUCHING ME.
[00:12:20.139]SO THE EDITOR SAID, YES, GO AHEAD AND DO THE STORY.
[00:12:24.343]I ACTUALLY CALLED THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MYSELF.
[00:12:30.015]HEY IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS ALL THE WAY.
[00:12:33.886]SO I CALLED, AND I SAID, HI, MY NAME IS JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS,
[00:12:38.157]I'VE NOT HEARD FROM YOU.
[00:12:45.264]IT'S KIND OF FUNNY BUT IT'S NOT.
[00:12:47.099]AND THE WOMAN SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
[00:12:51.170]SHE FOUND OUT WHO I WAS.
[00:12:52.404]AND I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
[00:12:54.073]AND SHE SAID, I HAVE TO PUT YOU ON HOLD.
[00:12:58.010]SO SHE PUT ME ON HOLD, AND THEN SHE GOT BACK ON THE PHONE AND I
[00:13:02.781]SAID TO HER, I'M ON DEADLINE, THIS IS A COVER STORY.
[00:13:06.652]I NEED A COMMENT.
[00:13:08.187]WELL SHE SAID, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DOES NOT HAVE
[00:13:11.757]A COMMENT.
[00:13:16.529]AND YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY THINK THIS IS A METAPHOR FOR HOW MOST
[00:13:22.968]AMERICANS THINK OF US.
[00:13:25.037]NO COMMENT.
[00:13:26.572]RIGHT?
[00:13:27.139]HERE IN NEBRASKA ALONE, 3% OF THE POPULATION, 55,000 PEOPLE,
[00:13:34.680]AS FAR AS WE KNOW, ARE UNDOCUMENTED.
[00:13:37.249]THE 55,000 PEOPLE BY THE WAY,PAID ABOUT $44 MILLION IN
[00:13:42.087]STATE AND LOCAL TAXES IN 2012, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT.
[00:13:47.226]WHEN WE GO TO STARBUCKS, AND $54 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAXES.
[00:13:55.000]WE ALSO OWN PROPERTY.
[00:13:56.735]YOU KNOW WE'RE HERE, YOU KNOW WE'RE DRIVING, YOU KNOW WE GO TO
[00:13:59.905]THE SAME CHURCH, AND THE SAME SCHOOL.
[00:14:04.276]SO WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH US?
[00:14:07.146]AND THEN I FIGURED, WAIT A SECOND.
[00:14:11.283]AS LONG AS SOMEONE IS MOWING YOUR LAWN AND BABY SITTING YOUR
[00:14:15.821]KIDS, AND YOU HAVE THE CHEAP LABOR YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THE
[00:14:20.059]AGRICULTURE ECONOMY STAYS AFLOAT.
[00:14:22.228]NO COMMENT.
[00:14:22.628]RIGHT?
[00:14:24.597]SO THIS WOMAN SAID, I CAN'T COMMENT, AND I'M LIKE, I HAVE TO
[00:14:28.400]WRITE THE STORY.
[00:14:30.035]SO A WEEK LATER, THIS WAS ON THE COVER OF TIME MAGAZINE.
[00:14:36.242]34 -- THANK YOU.
[00:14:44.817]34 YOUNG UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE FROM 15 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
[00:14:50.756]COUNTRIES LIKE NIGERIA, YES, THERE ARE UNDOCUMENTED BLACK
[00:14:57.463]PEOPLE.
[00:14:57.997]COUNTRIES LIKE GERMANY, WITH MORE THAN 1 MILLION OF THE
[00:15:04.036]UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE ARE ASIAN.
[00:15:07.039]THAT'S NOT PART OF A CONVERSATION, WE RARELY TALK
[00:15:12.611]ABOUT FACT.
[00:15:13.178]FACT NUMBER ONE, DID YOU KNOW THE UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS LIKE
[00:15:17.149]ME, HAVE CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN $100 BILLION INTO THE SOCIAL
[00:15:22.855]SECURITY FUND?
[00:15:24.390]THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.
[00:15:26.825]THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU HEAR ABOUT, WHEN DONALD TRUMP TALKS ABOUT
[00:15:30.996]US.
[00:15:34.733]RIGHT?
[00:15:35.134]WE'RE MOOCHING OFF OF SOCIETY.
[00:15:37.236]WE'RE NOT PAYING INTO SOCIAL SECURITY, SOCIAL SECURITY, BY
[00:15:41.006]THE WAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO.
[00:15:44.810]IN 2011, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, INVESTED MORE THAN $100 BILLION
[00:15:50.816]PROTECTING YOU FROM THE U.S.
[00:15:52.951]MEXICO BORDER.
[00:15:54.720]$100 BILLION.
[00:15:57.389]PROTECTING YOU FROM CHIPOLTE.
[00:16:02.828]PROTECTING YOU FROM WHAT?
[00:16:03.996]MIND YOU, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT THE COST OF A COLLEGE
[00:16:08.267]EDUCATION IN THIS COUNTRY IS GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER.
[00:16:11.503]I WOULD RATHER GIVE YOU THE $100 BILLION TO GO TO COLLEGE THAN TO
[00:16:15.641]BUILD A BORDER THAT'S NOT FULLY SECURE.
[00:16:18.877][APPLAUSE] DOESN'T THAT MAKE MORE SENSE?
[00:16:28.821]AND BY THE WAY, YOU TALK ABOUT THE BORDER, DID YOU KNOW THAT
[00:16:33.625]40% OF THE PEOPLE HERE ILLEGALLY, ACTUALLY DIDN'T CROSS
[00:16:38.697]THE BORDER?
[00:16:39.498]THEY OVER STAYED A VISA.
[00:16:41.467]I GOT HERE ON A PLANE.
[00:16:43.869]I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
[00:16:45.204]IT'S BEEN FASCINATING HEAR DONALD TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP, TALK
[00:16:50.509]ABOUT THE PLAN TO HUMANLY TO DEPORT 11 MILLION PEOPLE LIKE
[00:16:57.282]ME.
[00:16:57.649]APPARENTLY HE PLANS TO DO THIS IN TWO YEARS, AND BY HIS
[00:17:01.286]CALCULATION, HE WOULD HAVE TO DEPORT 458,333 IMMIGRANTS PER
[00:17:09.928]MONTH.
[00:17:10.262]THAT'S 57,000 PEOPLE PER DAY, THAT WOULD COST THE GOVERNMENT,
[00:17:16.234]11 PEOPLE LIKE ME, COST YOU $12,500 PER IMMIGRANT, THAT GETS
[00:17:23.474]US TO $137 BILLION.
[00:17:28.046]SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS.
[00:17:31.650]WE CONTRIBUTE $100 BILLION TO KEEP YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
[00:17:37.890]SOLVENT, AND THEN YOU WANT TO SPEND THAT PROTECTING YOURSELF
[00:17:40.759]FROM MEXICO, AND THEN YOU WANT TO SPEND $137 BILLION DEPORTING
[00:17:45.230]US.
[00:17:51.537]REALLY?
[00:17:51.870]AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS NOT CELEBRITY APPRENTICE.
[00:17:56.975]YOU KNOW, DONALD TRUMP IS NOT SOME IMPERIAL PRESIDENT.
[00:18:01.313]TO DEPORT PEOPLE LIKE THIS, HE HAS TO GO THROUGH THE UNITED
[00:18:04.950]STATES CONGRESS AND SUPREME COURT.
[00:18:07.186]AND HE'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
[00:18:09.721]I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, TO ME, IS AN UNKNOWN FACT.
[00:18:15.327]AN ESTIMATED 17 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, LIVE IN
[00:18:20.499]HOUSEHOLD THAT AT LEAST ONE PERSON IS UNDOCUMENTED.
[00:18:23.235]IT'S A MIXED STATUS FAMILY.
[00:18:26.572]I'M PHILIPPINE, AND WE HAVE HUGE FAMILIES, AFTER 33 PEOPLE IN MY
[00:18:32.744]FAMILY, OUT OF ALL NIGHTS, NIECES -- AUNTS, NIECE, I'M THE
[00:18:39.117]ONLY ONE IN MY FAMILY, THAT'S UNDOCUMENTED.
[00:18:42.154]SO IF YOU DEPORT ME, WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN TO MY
[00:18:47.759]GRANDMOTHER?
[00:18:48.193]OR MY NIECE AND IS NEPHEWS, WHO ARE AMERICAN BORN CITIZENS.
[00:18:52.931]YOU'RE NOT DEPORTING ME, YOU'RE IMPACTING THEM.
[00:18:57.069]THIS IS ACTUALLY MY FAMILY.
[00:19:00.038]MY EXTENDED FAMILY, INCLUDING MY HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, AND
[00:19:05.577]SUPERINTENDENT, AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE RAISED ME SINCE
[00:19:09.481]I WAS 14 YEARS OLD.
[00:19:10.449]WHEN I TRAVEL IF COUNTRY, I GIVE YOU IF FACTS.
[00:19:14.286]WHEN I GO TO ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, IOWA, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT FACTS.
[00:19:21.760]IT'S THE VISUAL FEELING.
[00:19:23.195]THAT SOMETHING IS TAKEN AWAY, FROM AMERICANS.
[00:19:26.999]THIS ANXIETY AND INSECURITY, WRAPPED IN KIND OF INDIFFERENT
[00:19:32.204]AND PLAIN IGNORANCE SOMETIMES.
[00:19:34.506]I GET ASKED QUESTIONS LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT MEXICAN?
[00:19:42.281]I DON'T KNOW.
[00:19:43.015]CALLED SPANISH COLONIALISM.
[00:19:45.150]A HINT FROM ME TO YOU, YOU SEE A PERSON THAT LOOKS LIKE HISPANIC,
[00:19:55.127]IT'S PHILIPPINE.
[00:20:00.232]WHAT ABOUT ILLEGAL, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND.
[00:20:02.768]I'M HERE ILLEGALLY.
[00:20:05.237]I AM HERE ILLEGALLY, WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.
[00:20:08.607]I AS A PERSON IS NOT ILLEGAL.
[00:20:11.109]BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT ILLEGAL.
[00:20:20.652]BUT I HAVE TO SAY, MY FAVORITE QUESTION I GET ASKED, ALL THE
[00:20:24.856]TIME, THREE TO FIVE TIMES A DAY, IN VARYING DEGREES OF ANGRY
[00:20:31.630]E-MAILS.
[00:20:32.030]THE QUESTION IS WHY DON'T YOU JUST MAKE YOURSELF LEGAL?
[00:20:40.005]BECAUSE I'M A MASOCHIST.
[00:20:41.840]THIS IS SO MUCH MORE FUN.
[00:20:43.875]I'M CRAVING ATTENTION.
[00:20:46.311]RIGHT?
[00:20:46.812]AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST AN EASY THING FOR ME TO DO.
[00:20:50.349]THE FACT THAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY ASK YOU THAT QUESTION,
[00:20:54.586]PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK ALL I HAVE TO DO IS SHOW UP IN FEDEX, GET
[00:20:59.491]IN LINE, FILL OUT A FORM AND I'M AN AMERICAN.
[00:21:03.862]AND I'M CROWDING YOUR EMERGENCY ROOM, AND SPEAKING SPANISH,
[00:21:08.667]THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
[00:21:10.035]I'VE BEEN IN THIS COUNTRY SINCE I WAS 12 YEARS OLD.
[00:21:18.477]REALLY, FOR ALL THE DEBATE OF ILLEGALS, AND BORDER SECURITY
[00:21:22.648]HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT TALK ABOUT
[00:21:26.885]MIGRATION RIGHT NOW, AND NOT LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
[00:21:30.322]EUROPE.
[00:21:30.989]MIGRANTS COMING FROM AFRICA, AND MIDDLE EAST, WE MUST INSIST ON
[00:21:38.497]ASKING PROPER QUESTIONS.
[00:21:40.632]WHAT'S THE TRADE AGREEMENTS HAVE TO
[00:21:45.070]DO WITH MIGRATION PATTERNS?
[00:21:50.575]WHEN PRESIDENT CLINTON, SIGNED NASA, HOW DID THAT IMPACT THE
[00:21:55.781]WORKERS, AND THE MEXICAN ECONOMY?
[00:21:58.850]LAST SUMMER IN THE CENTRAL AMERICAN CRISIS, WHAT HAPPENED
[00:22:03.055]TO THE COUNTRIES OF EL SALVADOR, HOW DID THINGS GET SO VIOLENT?
[00:22:09.327]WHO SOLD THEM THE GUNS?
[00:22:11.096]WHO FUND IT HAD DRUG WAR?
[00:22:14.099]WHY DID THE KIDS COME HERE AND RISK THEIR LIVES?
[00:22:20.405]FOR ME, THE QUESTIONS OF 100'S OF YEARS AGO, THE SPANISH, AND THE
[00:22:27.112]AMERICANS, AND BRITISH, SAW IT FIT TO COLONIZE AND IMPERIALIZE
[00:22:32.818]A COUNTRY, THEY JUSTIFIED THE BEHAVIOR BY WHITE MAN'S BURDEN,
[00:22:38.223]WHY CAN'T PEOPLE FREELY MIGRATE NOW?
[00:22:41.126]AND THE LANGUAGE THAT WE USE.
[00:22:45.130]WHAT SEPARATES THE MIGRANT FROM A REFUGEE?
[00:22:49.267]WHAT MAKES SOMEONE ILLEGAL, VERSUS A REFUGEE?
[00:22:52.370]A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, I WAS IN AN EVENT IN NORTH CAROLINA.
[00:22:56.641]WE SHOWED DOCUMENT, AND AT THE END OF THE FILM, THE MAN SAID,
[00:23:02.848]WHY ARE THERE SO PHILIPPINES HERE?
[00:23:19.831]AND ALL I COULD SAY, IS SIR, WE ARE HERE BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE.
[00:23:26.571]YOU KNOW WHEN THE PHILIPPINES WAS A PROTECTOR TO THE UNITED
[00:23:32.244]STATES, HOW DARE YOU ASK ME WHERE I'M FROM, AND WHY I'M HERE
[00:23:36.748]IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR OWN HISTORY.
[00:23:40.018]WHY WILL YOU KNOW IT AND FACE IT?
[00:23:43.054]AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AS WE MOVE FORWARD?
[00:23:46.992]BUT, HERE'S WHERE IT GETS REALLY REALLY TRICKY.
[00:23:51.029]WE CANNOT CHANGE THE PUBLICS OF IMMIGRATION.
[00:23:54.299]UNTIL WE CHANGE THE CULTURE IN WHICH PEOPLE TALK ABOUT
[00:23:57.202]IMMIGRATION.
[00:23:59.604]CAN YOU IMAGINE WHERE THE LGB RIGHTS BE WITHOUT ELLEN
[00:24:13.518]DEGENERIS?
[00:24:13.885]WE CANNOT CHANGE THE PUBLICS OF IMMIGRATION, UNLESS WE CHANGE
[00:24:17.022]THE CULTURE IN WHICH WE TALK ABOUT IMMIGRATION.
[00:24:19.791]FOR ME, HAVING GROWN UP IN THE LATE 90'S IN HIGH SCHOOL, I
[00:24:24.062]REMEMBER THERE WAS A TIME THAT GAY STRAIGHT ALLIANCES FORMED IN
[00:24:30.302]THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE SUCCESS OF WILL AND GRACE WAS TOLD
[00:24:37.042]EVERYONE, WHERE EVERY WILL, THERE'S A GRACE.
[00:24:40.312]FOR EVERY GAY PERSON, THERE'S A STRAIGHT BEST FRIEND, NEIGHBOR,
[00:24:47.285]COWORKER, THOSE ARE WHAT WE CALL ALLIES.
[00:24:51.623]AND I KNOW I'M NOT ONLY SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I'M SPEAKING FOR --
[00:24:58.930]SOME UNDOCUMENTED NEBRASKANS IN HERE.
[00:25:05.437]I APPLAUD ALL THE ALLIES IN OUR LIVES.
[00:25:08.974]THE TEACHERS, THE MENTORS, THE PASTORS, I'LL NAME A COUPLE IN
[00:25:14.512]MY LIFE.
[00:25:15.814]THIS IS MY HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
[00:25:17.249]WHEN I OUTED MYSELF AS UNDOCUMENTED, I OUTED HER WITH
[00:25:21.453]HER PERMISSION.
[00:25:22.954]SHE WAS THE ONE WHEN I TOLD HER IN HIGH SCHOOL, I WASN'T GOING
[00:25:26.658]TO APPLY TO COLLEGES, I DIDN'T HAVE FINANCIAL AID, SHE WAS THE
[00:25:31.596]ONE THAT FOUND ME A SCHOLARSHIP SO I COULD GO TO COLLEGE.
[00:25:38.036]THERE WAS A MAN NAMED PETER PEARL.
[00:25:42.440]I THOUGHT I HAD THE WORD ILLEGAL TATTOOED ON MY FOREHEAD, I WAS
[00:25:46.544]SO NERVOUS.
[00:25:47.412]IT WAS ONE THING TO BE UNDOCUMENTED IN CALIFORNIA, AND
[00:25:52.117]ANOTHER THING WHEN YOU'RE WORKING TWO BLOCKS FROM THE
[00:25:54.753]WHITE HOUSE.
[00:25:56.221]I DECIDED TO GO TELL SOMEONE AND I DECIDED TO TELL HIM.
[00:26:01.159]I BOUGHT HIM SOME COFFEE, WE WENT TO THE PARK, AND I SAT HIM
[00:26:06.031]DOWN, AND TOLD HIM EVERYTHING.
[00:26:08.600]TOLD HIM EVERYTHING.
[00:26:09.668]I EXPECTED HIM TO SAY, OH, UM, OKAY, WE HAVE TO REPORT YOU NOW.
[00:26:16.241]WHAT I DIDN'T EXPECT HIM TO SAY IS YOU MAKE SO MUCH MORE SENSE
[00:26:22.447]NOW.
[00:26:23.748][LAUGHTER] I FIGURED I WAS WALKING AROUND
[00:26:25.650]NERVOUS ALL THE TIME.
[00:26:26.851]THE SECOND THING HE SAID, IS DON'T TELL ANYONE ELSE.
[00:26:31.856]JUST KEEP GOING.
[00:26:34.125]ONE DAY I WAS ASSIGNED TO COVER SARAH PALIN, IN OHIO,
[00:26:45.537]THE PAPERS I USED WERE FAKE?
[00:26:48.039]HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON I CALLED, AND HE WAS THE ONE TO
[00:26:51.643]CALM ME DOWN AND STAY, YOU'RE BEING PARANOID, DON'T WORRY
[00:26:56.181]ABOUT IT.
[00:26:56.815]GO ON.
[00:26:58.283]I WONDER, HOW MANY PETER PEARLS ARE THERE AROUND ALL ACROSS THIS
[00:27:05.757]COUNTRY?
[00:27:06.658]HELPING PEOPLE LIKE US.
[00:27:08.393]EVERY WAY, IN EVERY PROFESSION, I SO I MADE THIS FILM CALLED
[00:27:17.268]"DOCUMENTED" AND I WANT TO SHOW A SCENE FROM THE FILM, THAT
[00:27:20.171]SHOWS THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUE, AND THE HUMANITY THAT'S
[00:27:26.044]MOSTLY MISSING.
[00:27:26.878]>> THE LAW IS THE TOUGHEST IN THE NATION IS ON THE BOOKS NOW
[00:27:30.515]IN ALABAMA.
[00:27:31.416]>> THE LAW WILL ALLOW THE OFFICIALS TO CHECK THE
[00:27:34.619]IMMIGRATION STATUS OF STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND GIVE THE
[00:27:37.756]POLICE NEW POWERS TO DETERMINE WHETHER SOMEONE IS IN THE
[00:27:40.959]COUNTRY ILLEGALLY.
[00:27:42.894]>> BUT IT'S BEYOND THE LEGAL ISSUE.
[00:27:50.068]IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS TREATED IN ALABAMA AS
[00:27:52.737]NOT JUST A DEMOGRAPHIC ISSUE, BUT A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE.
[00:27:58.309]>> TELL ME OBJECT HOW THIS IMPACTED YOU
[00:28:02.914]PERSONALLY?
[00:28:03.314]>> I DO KNOW SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED, AND I KNOW PEOPLE
[00:28:07.886]WHO ARE DOCUMENTED, AND IT CREATED A LEVEL OF FEAR FOR HIM.
[00:28:13.958]WHERE, YOU SHOULD NEVER FEAR YOUR GOVERNMENT, THE GOVERNMENT
[00:28:16.895]SHOULD FEAR YOU, THIS PRODUCES [INAUDIBLE].
[00:28:21.833]>> STRAIGHT UP.
[00:28:24.636][INAUDIBLE].
[00:28:25.070]>> YEAH.
[00:28:26.104]>> SOUND LIKE GARBAGE.
[00:28:31.242]>> YOU'RE HERE [INAUDIBLE].
[00:28:33.611]YOU AGREE.
[00:28:35.213]>> YES I DOING, GET THEM OUT OF HERE, THAT'S WHAT I AGREE WITH.
[00:28:41.119]BYE BYE.
[00:28:42.087]GET YOUR PAPERS OR GET OUT.
[00:28:50.395]YOU GOT YOUR PAPERS?
[00:28:51.729]>> WHAT IF I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T.
[00:28:54.866]>> THEN YOU NEED TO GET YOUR AS HOME THEN.
[00:28:58.536]THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.
[00:28:59.804]THAT'S MY RESPONSE.
[00:29:01.139]>> WE'RE NOT GOING NOWHERE.
[00:29:03.708]I'M CHILLING, SHUT UP.
[00:29:05.677]SHUT YOUR FACE.
[00:29:06.811]>> DON'T EMBARRASS ME.
[00:29:16.421]>> MY MOM WANTED TO GIVE ME A BETTER LIFE AT 12, AND SHE SENT
[00:29:22.227]ME TO LIVE WITH HER PARENTS IN CALIFORNIA.
[00:29:24.429]I LIVED WITH THEM, AND THEN I FOUND OUT I'M ILLEGAL, AND THEN
[00:29:29.834]I'M LIKE, I BETTER SPEAK ENGLISH WELL, I'LL WORK MY AS OFF.
[00:29:37.308]I'VE BEEN PAYING TAXES SINCE I WAS 18.
[00:29:39.244]>> GOOD, GOOD, THAT'S GREAT.
[00:29:41.913]>> THANK YOU.
[00:29:43.148]>> THE THING IS THOUGH, YOU HAVE TO -- YOU CAME OVER AND BECAME A
[00:29:48.920]PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY.
[00:29:51.022]ALL RIGHT?
[00:29:51.422]THAT'S WHAT YOU DID, RIGHT?
[00:29:53.825]>> EVERYONE WANTS TO BE.
[00:29:56.895]>> YOU HAVE SOMEONE -- HORDES OF PEOPLE COMING OVER, AND STANDING
[00:30:01.666]TEN DEEP IN AN APARTMENT.
[00:30:05.136]AND LIKE, I'M A CONTRACTOR.
[00:30:07.805]I'M A BLUE COLLAR GUY.
[00:30:10.008]I BUILD HOUSES, AND YOU'VE GOT -- [INAUDIBLE] FOR $10, AND
[00:30:15.346]ANOTHER ONE THAT'LL DO IT FOR 20 OR $30 --
[00:30:31.663]>> I OWN 32 ACRES HERE.
[00:30:33.464]>> AND BORN AND RAISED IN ALABAMA?
[00:30:37.368]>> YES, I DON'T FARM AT ONE TIME, FOR THE SIMPLE REASON, I'M
[00:30:43.041]GETTING OLDER.
[00:30:44.008]AND TACO IS THE NICKNAME OF MY LATINO WORKER, IT'S A FRIENDSHIP
[00:30:50.682]AND HE WORKS WITH ME ALSO, I'D RATHER SAY HE WORKS WITH ME THAN
[00:30:56.521]FOR ME.
[00:30:58.923]IF I GO TO HIS HOUSE, HIS THREE GRANDCHILDREN, COME HUG ME, JUST
[00:31:06.898]LIKE MY OWN.
[00:31:08.733]HERE'S A PICTURE OF HIS KIDS.
[00:31:11.803]LATINOS ARE SCARED.
[00:31:16.407]THAT THEY'RE HERE ILLEGALLY, THEY'RE SCARED, IF THEY'RE HERE
[00:31:20.945]LEGALLY, THEY HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT THEY'RE SCARED FOR.
[00:31:24.916]THE IDEA THAT IF I HAVE TACO IN A VEHICLE WITH ME, I'M LIABLE
[00:31:29.087]ALSO, AND I CAN BE ARRESTED.
[00:31:31.656]WELL, THAT'S TELLING ME WHO THE STATE OF ALABAMA IS TELLING ME
[00:31:36.561]WHO MY FRIENDS CAN BE.
[00:31:38.129]I'M A CONSERVATIVE AND A HARD CORE REPUBLICAN, BUT I DON'T
[00:31:42.333]AGREE WITH THEM ON THIS.
[00:31:44.936]YOU HAVE AN IMMIGRATION PROBLEM, BUT THIS IS NO WAY OF SOLVING
[00:31:48.506]IT.
[00:31:48.773]>> THERE'S A LOT IN THAT FIVE MINUTES.
[00:31:50.975]I'M PROUD TO SAY, THAT THIS IS THE FIRST FILM TO BE DIRECT AND
[00:31:54.679]HAD PRODUCED BY AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT.
[00:31:58.149]IT'S ON NETFLIX AND I-TUNES SO CHECK IT OUT.
[00:32:02.854]I WANT TO EXPLAIN A COUPLE OF THINGS.
[00:32:05.123]THE FIRST PART OF THE SCENE, THE DRUNK GUY, I NEVER GOT HIS NAME.
[00:32:10.028]BUT I HAVE TO SAY, I WAS NERVOUS OF THIS SCENE, I DIDN'T HAVE --
[00:32:14.332]HAVING SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE SOUTH NOW, I DIDN'T WANT TO
[00:32:18.836]PORTRAY HIM AS YOUR STEREO TYPICAL RED NECK GUY, WHATEVER
[00:32:22.707]THAT MEANS.
[00:32:23.775]BUT THE WAY HE WAS TALKING TO HIS GIRLFRIEND OR WIFE WAS
[00:32:28.846]TROUBLESOME.
[00:32:29.280]I WAS GOING TO EDIT THAT OUT, AND THEN, IT'S PART OF THE
[00:32:34.152]CONTEXT.
[00:32:34.485]IT TELLS YOU SOMETHING OF THE RELATIONSHIP.
[00:32:37.422]I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED THIS, HE CHANGED HIS MIND ABOUT
[00:32:43.027]ME, WHEN IT STARTED LISTENING TO HIM, BUT THE SECOND THING IS
[00:32:46.397]WHEN I PAID TAXES, DID YOU NOTICE THAT?
[00:32:53.771]AND THEN HE SAID, I'M A CONTRACTOR, I'M A BLUE COLLAR
[00:32:59.177]GUY.
[00:32:59.544]I WANT TO CHARGE PEOPLE $20, AND PEOPLE COME IN AND CHARGE 10,
[00:33:04.849]THAT'S A VALID CONCERN.
[00:33:08.252]RIGHT?
[00:33:08.553]HE HAS A POINT.
[00:33:10.488]OF COURSE, HE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR HIS FAMILY AND
[00:33:13.558]MAKE THE MONEY THAT HE WANTS TO MAKE, RIGHT?
[00:33:16.761]BUT WHAT YOU DIDN'T SEE IN THE FILM, WE COULDN'T KEEP FILMING,
[00:33:23.167]I WAS AFRAID HE WAS GOING TO GET MORE BELLIGERENT, I SAID, WHY
[00:33:29.540]ARE YOU BLAMING THE WORKERS, AND YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THE ONES
[00:33:33.678]EMPLOYING YOU.
[00:33:34.278]THE EMPLOYERS, WE ARE A COUNTRY ADDICTED TO CHEAP LABOR.
[00:33:40.451]I'M SORRY, I WAS IN THE SOUTH.
[00:33:43.888]WE'RE FREE, WHO DID?
[00:33:48.793]RIGHT?
[00:33:49.093]WHO IS DOING THE WORK, MIND YOU, ALABAMA, IS ONE OF THE STATES IN
[00:33:53.598]THE COUNTRY THAT ACTUALLY PASSED A LAW BANNING UNDOCUMENTED
[00:33:59.203]PEOPLE TO HARVEST AND ACTUALLY BE FARM WORKERS, GUESS WHAT
[00:34:04.842]HAPPENED?
[00:34:05.376]ALABAMA LOST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BECAUSE AMERICANS DID
[00:34:08.746]NOT WANT TO DO THE JOB, IT WAS TOO HARD APPARENTLY.
[00:34:13.184]THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT THEME.
[00:34:15.585]LAWRENCE, AND LAWRENCE THE FARMER, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WE
[00:34:18.755]TEXT QUITE A BIT.
[00:34:20.190]HE DISCOVERED TEXTING A YEAR AGO.
[00:34:24.161]HE TEXTS QUITE A BIT.
[00:34:27.231]LAWRENCE SPOKE ABOUT TACO, AND ABOUT IMMIGRATION WITH A KIND OF
[00:34:32.103]HUMANITY THAT I DARE YOU, WOULD ELUDE THE STAGE TOMORROW, AT THE
[00:34:37.408]GOP REPUBLICAN DEBATE.
[00:34:38.775]HE SPOKE ABOUT IMMIGRATION WITH A COMPLEXITY, THAT WE RARELY
[00:34:43.947]HEAR ABOUT, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ISSUE.
[00:34:46.818]I WONDER IN THIS STATE, HOW MANY LAWRENCE'S ARE AROUND?
[00:34:51.155]IT'S FASCINATE TO SEE THE RISE OF DONALD TRUMP AND THE FACT
[00:34:55.393]THAT HE'S INVOKING RICHARD NIXON SILENT MAJORITY.
[00:35:03.701]I WOULD ARGUE THERE IS A REAL SILENT MAJORITY, AND THAT IS THE
[00:35:08.339]PRINCIPAL, THE MENTOR, AND LAWRENCE THE FARMER.
[00:35:12.844]WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE THEM TO COME OUT, AND SUPPORT OF US.
[00:35:18.950]TO SAY, THAT UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE ARE NOT WHAT YOU THINK THEY ARE.
[00:35:23.387]AND WE NEED TO ACTUALLY EXPAND THIS CONVERSATION.
[00:35:29.026]NOW, I SHOW YOU SOME HATEFUL POINTS AND I GET SOME CRAZY
[00:35:35.399]SOMETIMES OVERLY EMOTIONAL TWEETS.
[00:35:37.101]I GOT THIS ONE A FEW MONTHS AGO.
[00:35:40.838]SHE SAID, SHE'S UNDOCUMENTED HERSELF.
[00:35:43.941]SHE'S OUT.
[00:35:45.476]AND SHE SAID, IF THIS COUNTRY DOESN'T WANT YOU, DOESN'T WANT
[00:35:50.481]ME EITHER, WHY NOT MOVE TO A COUNTRY THAT DOES?
[00:35:54.886]SO I THINK ABOUT THIS A LOT.
[00:35:57.355]I'M ABOUT TO BE 35 IN FIVE MONTHS, AND THAT'S BEEN MY SCARY
[00:36:02.894]AGE.
[00:36:03.160]AND BUT BY TIME I WAS 35, I WAS HOPING TO GO VISIT PRINCE
[00:36:09.967]EDWARD ISLAND, WHERE THEY FILMED MY FAVORITE MOVIE.
[00:36:13.905]I COULD GO TO SOUTH AFRICA, TO TRACE MANDELA'S JOURNEY.
[00:36:21.379]OR TO SEE CHINA, PARIS.
[00:36:23.681]AND BY 35, I WOULD BE REUNITED WITH MY MOM, WHO I HAVE NOT SEEN
[00:36:30.821]SINCE I LEFT SINCE I WAS 12.
[00:36:33.791]AND SOMETIMES, THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT JUST WANTS TO LEAVE.
[00:36:39.730]BECAUSE, YOU DON'T WANT ME, FINE, I CAN BE A WRITER
[00:36:45.570]ANYWHERE.
[00:36:46.203]I CAN MAKE FILMS ANYWHERE.
[00:36:49.006]BUT THEN IT WOULD SEEM GROSSLY IRRESPONSIBLE, GIVEN TO ME, ONE
[00:36:54.211]WAY I DEFINE AMERICAN IS AMERICA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHT.
[00:37:00.618]THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY, TO THE HISTORY OF
[00:37:07.992]THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY.
[00:37:09.627]HAS ALWAYS BEEN SHAPED AND FRAMED AND HONORED BY PEOPLE WHO
[00:37:14.231]FOUGHT.
[00:37:14.565]AND WHO CONTINUE TO FIGHT.
[00:37:16.567]TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY THE MOST INCLUSIVE AND THE MOST HUMANE
[00:37:22.540]THAT IT CAN POSSIBLY BE.
[00:37:24.141]THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE LIKE ME, SHOULDN'T SEE, AND THAT'S WHY
[00:37:28.312]I'M NOT LEAVING AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO COME OUT.
[00:37:33.184][APPLAUSE] I'M NOT NAIVE ABOUT THIS, THE
[00:37:49.667]NEWS IN THE PAST DAY, THERE WAS A WOMAN IN TEXAS, IN HOUSTON, A
[00:37:55.873]MEXICAN UNDOCUMENTED WOMAN WHO WENT TO SEE A GYNECOLOGIST, AND
[00:38:03.280]ENDED UP BEING ARRESTED AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE, BECAUSE HE
[00:38:08.486]PRESENTED FAKE PAPERS.
[00:38:10.021]WHILE HER THREE CHILDREN, WATCHED THEIR MOTHER GET
[00:38:14.291]HANDCUFFED AND TAKEN AWAY.
[00:38:16.293]NOW THAT WOMAN, THE FEAR, I CAN'T REALLY EXPLAIN TO YOU, THE
[00:38:21.432]LEVEL OF FEAR AND THE LEVEL OF PARANOIA.
[00:38:24.835]THAT UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY GO THROUGH EVERY DAY
[00:38:28.406]WHEN WE SEE A COP.
[00:38:31.175]WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE PAPERS WE CAN'T HAVE AND THE AMERICAN
[00:38:35.579]FLAG WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO, THAT DON'T WANT TO MAKE ROOM FOR
[00:38:39.550]US.
[00:38:39.817]THAT KIND OF FEAR, AND BY AMERICAN, WE ACTUALLY FIGURED
[00:38:43.421]OUT A WAY TO TALK TO PEOPLE.
[00:38:48.225]ABOUT WHY THE IMPORTANCE FOR THE OTHER UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE CAN
[00:38:52.430]COME OUT.
[00:38:53.130]A FEW MONTHS AGO, BEFORE WE STARTED THIS CAMPAIGN, I MET A
[00:38:57.101]WOMAN IN LOS ANGELES, AND I SAID TO HER, HEY, I'M ABOUT TO ASK
[00:39:02.306]YOU ARE UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE TO COME OUT, WOULD YOU CONSIDER
[00:39:05.710]DOING IT?
[00:39:06.243]AND SHE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, OF COURSE, I WOULD.
[00:39:11.148]SHE SAID, EVERYTHING THEY CAN DO, EVERYTHING THEY, THE
[00:39:14.518]GOVERNMENT, EVERYTHING THEY CAN DO TO US, THEY'VE ALREADY DONE.
[00:39:18.456]THEY'VE ARRESTED US, THEY'VE DETAINED US, CALLED US
[00:39:22.226]CRIMINALS, AND ALIENS, SAY WE'RE CRIMINALS.
[00:39:25.396]THIS COMING OUT, THIS WE DO FOR US.
[00:39:29.166]AFTER SHE SAID THAT, WE ENDED UP LAUNCHING THIS CAMPAIGN.
[00:39:47.318]>> I'M COMING OUT TO SHOW WE'RE YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR COWORKERS,
[00:39:52.289]AND YOUR FRIENDS.
[00:39:53.624]>> I'M COMING OUT, BECAUSE I REFUSE TO STAND ON THE SIDELINES
[00:39:59.096]WHILE OTHERS ACCOMPLISH FEATS.
[00:40:00.865]>> I'M COMING OUT FOR MY SON, SO THAT WE CAN BE SAFE AND
[00:40:08.105]TOGETHER.
[00:40:08.506]>> I'M COMING OUT NOW, THE PERSON THAT IS ME, CANNOT BE
[00:40:12.443]DEFINED BY A PIECE OF PAPER.
[00:40:18.549]>> WE MUST DESTROY THE MYTHS ONCE AND FOR ALL, YOU MUST TELL
[00:40:24.021]YOUR FRIENDS, INDEED THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS, YOU MUST TELL YOUR
[00:40:27.758]NEIGHBORS AND THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH, AND TELL THE PEOPLE
[00:40:31.028]IN THE STORES YOU SHOP IN.
[00:40:35.199]CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE MUST COME OUT.
[00:40:42.273]>> COMING OUT TAKES MANY FORMS, BUT IT'S ALWAYS REQUIRED
[00:40:46.210]COURAGE.
[00:40:46.577]>> IT'S TIME.
[00:40:47.344]>> IT'S TIME FOR ALL OF US.
[00:40:50.247]>> EMPLOYER.
[00:40:50.881]>> EMPLOYEE.
[00:40:51.715]>> TEACHERS.
[00:40:54.485]>> STUDENTS.
[00:40:55.486]>> FAMILY.
[00:40:56.320]>> NEIGHBORS.
[00:40:57.855]>> AMERICANS.
[00:40:58.589]>> ALLIES.
[00:41:02.726]>> TO OVERCOME SHAME.
[00:41:03.494]>> TO OVERCOME FEAR.
[00:41:05.396]>> TO DOCUMENT.
[00:41:06.297]>> AND DEFINE OURSELVES.
[00:41:07.698]>> WE ARE COMING OUT TO BE SEEN FOR WHO WE ARE.
[00:41:11.802]NOT ONLY AS UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, BUT AS AMERICANS.
[00:41:16.040]COME OUT.
[00:41:18.542]JOIN US.
[00:41:27.184]AT DEFINEAMERICAN.COM.
[00:41:28.853][APPLAUSE] UM, THERE'S TWO THINGS OF THAT,
[00:41:38.629]YOU'RE WONDERING WHY WE'RE USING THE PHRASE, COME OUT.
[00:41:42.199]THAT'S REALLY A PHRASE THAT I LEARNED A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN I
[00:41:46.470]STARTED THIS WHOLE JOURNEY OF HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS
[00:41:51.175]PUBLICLY.
[00:41:51.542]I RESEARCHED THAT UNDOCUMENTED YOUNG PEOPLE, USE THE TERM COME
[00:41:57.214]OUT.
[00:41:57.481]ISN'T THAT FASCINATING?
[00:41:59.650]THE SAME TERM THAT GAY PEOPLE USE, AND WHAT'S MORE INTERESTING
[00:42:04.588]ABOUT THAT, PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE NOT REALLY COMING OUT, WE'RE
[00:42:08.959]JUST LETTING YOU IN.
[00:42:10.694]IT'S NOT OUT, THIS IS OUR LIVES.
[00:42:14.765]INTO US.
[00:42:15.499]IT'S ONLY OUT TO YOU.
[00:42:22.806]RESPECTED.
[00:42:23.173]AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NOTICE, WE FILMED THIS AT THE STEPS OF
[00:42:26.810]THE SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL.
[00:42:29.713]THE SAME STEPS WHERE IN 2004, MARRIED SAME SEX COUPLES, THAT
[00:42:35.352]STARTED THE REVOLUTION THAT ENDED UP WHAT HAPPENED A FEW
[00:42:40.057]MONTHS AGO WHEN THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED THE SAME SEX
[00:42:43.160]MARRIAGE IS THE LAW OF THE LAND.
[00:42:46.730]THE VOICES THAT YOU HEARD, THE IDEA OF COMING OUT IS FROM
[00:42:54.805]HARVEY MILK.
[00:42:55.606]THE GREAT GREAT ACTIVIST, HARVEY MILK.
[00:43:02.379]SPEAKING OF COMING OUT, BEFORE I START TAKING QUESTIONS, IT'S
[00:43:07.751]REALLY IMPORTANT THAT AT A TIME LIKE THIS, THAT WE WELCOME
[00:43:11.388]PEOPLE.
[00:43:14.024]THIS IS ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW, WELCOMING AMERICA'S NATIONAL
[00:43:17.661]WELCOMING WEEK.
[00:43:19.596]THERE'S AN EVENT HERE IN LINCOLN ON THURSDAY AT 4:30 P.M. IT'S
[00:43:24.668]THE NEW AMERICAN BUSINESS STORE HOSTED BY NEBRASKA APPLE SEED.
[00:43:29.606]PLEASE COME.
[00:43:31.342]IT'S AT 4:30 P.M. PLEASE, NEBRASKA APPLE SEED, CHECK IT
[00:43:36.914]OUT, DEFINE AMERICAN WILL BE THERE, WE'LL BE FILMING STORIES,
[00:43:39.416]IF YOU'RE READY TO COME OUT AS AN UNDOCUMENTED PERSON IN
[00:43:43.921]NEBRASKA, PLEASE, COME FIND US.
[00:43:45.889]IF YOU'RE A FRIEND OR A MENTOR OR A LOVER OR NEIGHBOR OF AN
[00:43:52.129]UNDOCUMENTED PERSON, COME, JOIN US.
[00:43:55.165]AND THIS PICTURE THAT I ALMOST SHOWED YOU HERE, THIS IS MY MOM.
[00:44:02.473]PROBABLY MY FAVORITE PICTURE OF US, BEFORE I LEFT.
[00:44:08.679]I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY SHE DID WHAT SHE DID WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.
[00:44:16.820]I WAS RESENTFUL ABOUT WHAT SHE DID.
[00:44:19.523]TO GIVE UP HER CHILD.
[00:44:21.291]WHY WOULD A MOTHER WANT TO DO THAT?
[00:44:24.061]IT TOOK ME UNTIL I WAS IN MY MID 20'S, TO WAKE UP WITH MY OWN
[00:44:29.767]SELFISHNESS, AND REALIZE WHAT SHE DID, WAS IN MANY WAYS THE
[00:44:36.673]ULTIMATE SACRIFICE THAT MANY PARENTS MAKE.
[00:44:38.709]SHE WANTED TO GIVE ME A BETTER LIFE, AND THAT MEANT HERE.
[00:44:43.013]I DO WHAT I DO, I DO WHAT I DO, I FIGHT WHAT I FIGHT.
[00:44:50.220]HOPING THAT MY MOTHER KNOWS THAT ALL HER PARENTS KNOW HOW
[00:44:55.492]GRATEFUL WE ARE.
[00:44:55.993]TO BE ALIVE.
[00:44:59.029][APPLAUSE] I SINCERELY, DEEPLY HOPE THAT
[00:45:13.510]YOU ARE NOT TAKING FOR GRANT THE AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP THAT
[00:45:18.949]MILLIONS OF US ARE WAITING FOR.
[00:45:23.821]PLEASE DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
[00:45:26.657]AND PLEASE STAND ALONGSIDE US.
[00:45:28.492]WE NEED YOUR HELP LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
[00:45:31.728]THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
[00:45:32.496][APPLAUSE]
[00:45:54.551]>> OH MY GOSH, THERE'S A LOT OF YOU.
[00:45:57.521]>> JOSE, THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH US, YOUR ACTIVISM, AND IN
[00:46:02.092]PARTICULAR, RAISING OUR AWARENESS, AND ENRICHING OUR
[00:46:05.529]UNDERSTANDING OF THIS ISSUE.
[00:46:07.564]LET'S CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, THAT JOSE HAS AGREED TO ANSWER
[00:46:11.835]YOUR QUESTIONS, WE'RE MONITORING THE TWITTER FEED.
[00:46:21.311]YOU MAY FIND NOTE CARDS, AND WE BEGIN WITH THE SCHOLARS.
[00:46:29.920]JUST A, PERSONALLY, WHAT PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS, HAVE YOU
[00:46:35.526]EXPERIENCED, HOW HAS IT AFFECTED YOUR RELATIONSHIP AND
[00:46:38.162]FRIENDSHIP.
[00:46:41.064]>> I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, MORE IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO, AND
[00:46:46.970]I'M GLAD I'M TALKING ABOUT IT.
[00:46:49.173]DEPRESSION IS A BIG ISSUE.
[00:46:51.742]I ACTUALLY THINK THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS SOMETHING THAT WE
[00:46:55.045]DON'T TALK ABOUT ENOUGH.
[00:46:57.381]WHEN IT COMES IMMIGRATION.
[00:47:04.821]AND -- WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.
[00:47:08.959]I HAD NEVER BEEN -- OKAY, I'LL SHARE THIS.
[00:47:13.297]I'VE ACTUALLY NEVER BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP.
[00:47:17.301]THERE WAS NEVER TIME FOR IT.
[00:47:20.971]AND THEN I'VE ALWAYS FELT GUILTY THAT IF I GOT WITH SOMEBODY,
[00:47:27.644]THEN I WOULD HAVE TO TELL THEM EVERYTHING, AND THEN IF I TELL
[00:47:31.815]THEM THIS, I MAKE THEM
[00:47:36.987]AN ACCOMPLICE, SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE EASIER TO NOT
[00:47:43.493]ENGAGE.
[00:47:43.827]I'M LIKE A 34-YEAR-OLD MAN.
[00:47:47.431]GOSH, HOW DID WE GET STARTED ON THIS?
[00:47:53.637]IF YOU KNOW ANYONE, LET ME KNOW.
[00:47:54.771][LAUGHTER] I CAN'T BELIEVE I SAID THAT.
[00:47:59.843]WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, BUT, BUT, I CAN'T GET LEGAL BECAUSE OF IT.
[00:48:06.416]ACCORDING TO MY LAWYERS, WHEN I OUTED MYSELF AS UNDOCUMENTED, IF
[00:48:14.424]I HAD DONE THAT, I'VE ADMITTED TO THE FRAUD I COMMIT AND HAD IT
[00:48:19.763]DISQUALIFIES ME FROM EVEN THE PRIVILEGE OF GETTING PAPERS
[00:48:24.735]THROUGH SAME SEX MARRIAGE.
[00:48:26.036]SO IT WON'T FIX ANYTHING NECESSARILY.
[00:48:29.840]BUT JUST SOMETHING ALWAYS HAPPENS TO YOU, WHEN YOU HIDE
[00:48:34.077]AND TELL LIES, AND I DID IT FOR 12 YEARS.
[00:48:38.015]I DIDN'T TRUST ANYONE WITH IT.
[00:48:39.916]MAYBE I TOLD FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE.
[00:48:42.452]AND NOW, I CAN'T SHUT UP ABOUT IT.
[00:48:46.823]I FEEL LIKE I'M STILL FEELING MY LEGS IN THAT WAY.
[00:48:50.627]>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[00:48:51.962]THE SECOND QUESTION FROM THE THOMPSON INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS,
[00:48:56.767]DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL IMMIGRATION REFORMS NOT
[00:49:00.837]WITHIN THE DREAM ACT.
[00:49:03.974]>> I THINK -- THE SENATE PASSED IMMIGRATION REFORM A COUPLE OF
[00:49:08.745]YEARS AGO.
[00:49:09.146]I SUPPORTED IT.
[00:49:11.281]FRANKLY, SOMETHING HAD TO HAPPEN.
[00:49:15.585]BUT IN RETROSPECT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WE
[00:49:22.826]SHOULD SPEND ON A BORDER THAT MAY NOT BE SECURE.
[00:49:27.064]WHEN IT COMES TO IMMIGRATION REFORM, WE NEED TO REALLY FIGURE
[00:49:30.667]OUT, WHAT THE ECONOMIC NEEDS ARE, RIGHT, BUT WHAT ARE THE
[00:49:35.605]MORAL COMPASS IS.
[00:49:36.707]AND WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
[00:49:38.809]AND HERE WE ARE, THE TRUMP TORNADO, SWIRLING AROUND US,
[00:49:44.881]FACTS GET LOST ON THE WAY.
[00:49:47.484]AND BY THE WAY, I'M NEITHER REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT.
[00:49:51.455]I'M UNDOCUMENTED, I HAVE NO PAPERS, I CAN'T VOTE.
[00:49:57.094]PEOPLE THINK WE CAN VOTE, WE CAN'T VOTE.
[00:49:59.796]I'M NEITHER REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT.
[00:50:03.133]BOTH PARTIES ARE [INAUDIBLE] WE NEED TO GET POLITICS OUT OF IT,
[00:50:08.972]AND SEE WHAT MAKES SENSE ECONOMICALLY, AND GIVEN WE'RE A
[00:50:14.478]COUNTRY OF IMMIGRANTS.
[00:50:15.112]>> WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE AN AMERICAN?
[00:50:20.317]>> IT MEANS NOT TAKING IT FOR GRANTED.
[00:50:23.987]FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOURSELF.
[00:50:26.523]IT MEANS BEARING WITNESS TO EACH OTHER.
[00:50:29.593]LIKE I COULDN'T SAY THIS IN MY SPEECH, BUT I'LL THINK ABOUT IT
[00:50:33.296]NOW.
[00:50:33.663]I CAN'T TALK TO YOU OF IMMIGRANT RIGHTS AND NOT TALK ABOUT THE
[00:50:38.835]LGBT RIGHTS, AND BLACK LIVES MATTER, AND GENDER EQUALITY, AND
[00:50:44.741]DISABLED PEOPLE.
[00:50:46.977]THESE ISSUES -- RIGHT?
[00:50:51.014]THEY INTERSECT, AND WE DON'T LIVE IN A TIME ANYMORE, SAYING,
[00:50:54.985]THAT'S A BLACK PROBLEM, THAT IS A LATINO PROBLEM.
[00:50:59.856]WE'RE APPROACHING A DEMOGRAPHIC EARTHQUAKE, IN WHICH EVERYONE IN
[00:51:03.660]AMERICA IS THE OTHER.
[00:51:04.795]NOW WHAT?
[00:51:07.597]>> WE HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS, RELATED TO THIS
[00:51:10.400]TOPIC, AS AN ALLY OR A REGULAR PERSON IN NEBRASKA, WHAT CAN I
[00:51:16.706]DO TO BRING ABOUT POSITIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM.
[00:51:20.911]>> WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'LL TAKE FOR CONGRESS TO PASS IMMIGRATION
[00:51:26.750]REFORM.
[00:51:27.284]PEOPLE IN DC ARE SAYING 2020.
[00:51:31.688]WHAT CAN WE DO IN THE STATE?
[00:51:34.257]NEBRASKA HAS A DREAM ACTS, CONGRATULATIONS.
[00:51:37.828]NEW YORK STATE DOESN'T HAVE ONE.
[00:51:41.498][APPLAUSE] BUT, I WANT TO HEAR PEOPLE TALK
[00:51:45.836]ABOUT THIS.
[00:51:46.670]BECAUSE WHAT CAN WE DO STATE BY STATE?
[00:51:49.806]AS I NOTED A FEW MINUTES AGO, YOU KNOW UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE ARE
[00:51:55.045]DRIVING, HOW DO YOU THINK WE GET TO WORK?
[00:51:57.581]HOW DO YOU THINK WE GO TO CHURCH?
[00:52:00.350]THERE ARE ONLY 11 STATES, PLUS DC, AND PUERTO RICO THAT ALLOW
[00:52:06.423]US TO DRIVE.
[00:52:08.792]IF YOU BELIEVE, IF YOU NEBRASKA BELIEVE THERE'S UNDOCUMENTED
[00:52:13.096]NEIGHBORS, SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPLY FOR DRIVER'S
[00:52:17.334]LICENSES, TO HAVE INSURANCE, PLEASE STAND UP.
[00:52:19.202]NO PRESSURE.
[00:52:27.143]YOU CAN SIT.
[00:52:27.611]I'LL TAKE A PICTURE.
[00:52:41.458]WE'LL E-MAIL IT TO YOUR GOVERNOR.
[00:52:43.393]THIS THE STREAMED LIVE, RIGHT?
[00:52:45.529]>> IT IS, IT IS.
[00:52:46.162]>> WE'LL E-MAIL THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TONIGHT.
[00:52:51.868](CHEERING) >> JOSE, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS A
[00:52:57.741]SIMILARITY BETWEEN THE BLACK LIVES MATTER AND DEFINE AMERICAN
[00:53:03.179]MOVEMENT.
[00:53:03.580]>> GREAT QUESTION, DID YOU HEAR ABOUT A CONFERENCE A FEW MONTHS
[00:53:09.219]AGO IN PHOENIX, WHEN BERNIE SANDERS WAS INTERRUPTED BY
[00:53:14.891]PROTESTERS?
[00:53:15.292]DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS?
[00:53:17.928]I WAS THE GUY MUTTERING.
[00:53:20.764]THE WOMEN STARTED COMING IN, MOSTLY WOMEN, BLACK WOMEN,
[00:53:25.302]STARTED PROTESTING, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMOTION, PEOPLE
[00:53:29.139]WERE LIKE, YOU HAVE TO SHUT IT DOWN.
[00:53:32.576]YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE AN UNDOCUMENTED LATINO GUYS,
[00:53:37.480]SHUTTING DOWN 35 WOMEN.
[00:53:39.416]IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
[00:53:40.750]I WASN'T GOING TO DO THAT.
[00:53:42.552]BUT AT THAT POINT, WHEN THEY STARTED, THIS WAS JUST A FEW
[00:53:48.458]DAYS AFTER SANDRA BLAND HAPPENED.
[00:53:51.428]AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, BLACK LIVES MATTER TO ME IS A REAL
[00:53:58.735]DEFINING MOMENT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS IN THIS COUNTRY.
[00:54:01.438]IT FORCES US TO GRAPPLE WITH SYSTEMICALLY, AND I DON'T THINK
[00:54:07.577]THAT THE OBAMA ERA, CAN GRAPPLE IT.
[00:54:10.313]AND FOR ME, BLACK LIVES MATTER IS THE CENTER OF IT IS STORY
[00:54:14.818]TELLING, THE CENTER OF IT ARE BLACK PEOPLE OWNING THEIR OWN
[00:54:20.657]NARRATIVES, WITHOUT THE WHITE.
[00:54:22.626]THE BLACK PEOPLE, TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE, AND WHAT
[00:54:26.096]THEY DEMAND THE RIGHTS TO BE.
[00:54:27.964]THERE'S A LOT OF SIMILARITIES THERE, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU
[00:54:31.501]THE COFOUNDERS OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT, THREE
[00:54:38.742]WOMEN, TWO IS GAY, AND ONE IS OF UNDOCUMENTED ORIGIN.
[00:54:46.850]AND YOU WILL NOT HEAR ABOUT THAT AS MUCH.
[00:54:49.853]>> JOSE, CONTINUING FROM THE TWITTER FEED, HOW DO YOU DEFINE
[00:54:54.724]REFUGEE, AND DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF ONE?
[00:54:56.693]>> OH SHOOT.
[00:54:59.295]NO.
[00:54:59.562]I AM NOT A REFUGEE.
[00:55:02.198]I AM AN IMMIGRANT.
[00:55:03.600]MY MOTHER DECIDED TO SEND ME HERE, THERE WASN'T A WAR IN THE
[00:55:11.074]PHILIPPINES AT THE TIME.
[00:55:13.276]I HAVE TO SAY, IT WAS THE FIRST NEWS ORGANIZATION TO STOP USING
[00:55:19.049]THE WORD MIGRANT, WHEN REFERRING TO SYRIANS, AND STARTED
[00:55:25.055]CALLING THEM REFUGEES.
[00:55:29.059]AND I ACTUALLY THINK IN THAT SAME WAY THE NEW YORK TIMES AND
[00:55:33.163]THE WASHINGTON POST SHOULD CONSIDER, WHEN THEY STILL CALL
[00:55:38.802]PEOPLE ILLEGAL, AT THIS POINT.
[00:55:41.671]DEFINE AMERICAN LAUNCH ADD WORD MATTER CAMPAIGN, PRESSURING THEM
[00:55:46.443]TO STOP DOING THAT.
[00:55:48.278]NO, I'M NOT A REFUGEE, BUT WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CENTRAL
[00:55:52.949]AMERICA, OUR PEOPLE ARE ESCAPING VIOLENCE, WAR, WAR RAVAGE, AND
[00:55:58.555]ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGING AND THE GANGING THAT ARE HAPPENING IN
[00:56:03.193]CENTRAL AMERICA.
[00:56:04.060]>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[00:56:05.161]THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FOLKS TOUCHED BY THE PHOTOGRAPH OF YOU
[00:56:08.631]AND YOUR MOM.
[00:56:11.468]ONE OF OUR AUDIENCE MEMBERS SAID, CAN YOU SPEAK MORE OF THE
[00:56:15.538]STORIES THAT PEOPLE HAVE SHARED WITH YOU HOW THE CURRENT
[00:56:20.110]IMMIGRATION LAWS SEPARATE FAMILIES?
[00:56:24.147]>> STORIES LIKE WATCHING MEMORIAL SERVICES VIA SKYPE.
[00:56:30.053]THEY LEAVE, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO COME BACK, AND THE ONLY WAY TO
[00:56:34.891]WATCH A MEMORIAL OF THEIR FATHER IS THROUGH SKYPE.
[00:56:42.532]IT'S MORE THAN 2 MILLION PEOPLE DEPORTED IN THE PAST SIX OR
[00:56:47.637]SEVEN YEARS.
[00:56:48.438]YOU THINK OF THE MOTHERS AND FATHERS.
[00:56:51.908]AND THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY TO NOTE.
[00:56:54.711]THIS IS WHY DEFINE AMERICAN HAS A ROBUST STORY TELLING PLATFORM,
[00:57:00.150]THAT WE'RE COLLECTING STORIES.
[00:57:02.018]AND THE MEDIA IS LOOKING FOR STORIES, THAT'S WHERE WE POINT
[00:57:06.723]THEM TO.
[00:57:08.224]BUT HEARING THE MAN E-MAILING ME, HE COULDN'T GO TO --
[00:57:16.566]>> FROM OUR TWITTER FEED, WHAT'S THE MOST DEFINING MOMENT OF YOUR
[00:57:20.336]LIFE?
[00:57:23.673]>> OH GOSH.
[00:57:27.811]SO I GOT ARRESTED LAST SUMMER.
[00:57:29.512][LAUGHTER] SO I GOT ARRESTED, I WENT TO
[00:57:37.520]TEXAS, HOW MANY HAVE BEEN TO THE TEXAS BORDER?
[00:57:41.291]I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT'S A MILITARY ZONE.
[00:57:44.828]SO WE'RE 60 MILES OF THE BORDER, PEOPLE CAN ASK FOR YOUR PAPERS
[00:57:49.999]AT ANY POINT.
[00:57:51.568]IT WAS NO PROBLEM GETTING THERE, GETTING OUT WAS THE PROBLEM.
[00:57:55.038]I DIDN'T HAVE PAPERS AND THEY ARRESTED ME AT THE AIRPORT AND
[00:57:58.208]DETAINED ME.
[00:57:59.442]FOR EIGHT HOURS I WAS IN THE JAIL CELL.
[00:58:02.445]FOR ONE MOMENT, I WAS BEING IN THE SAME CELL AS THE KIDS.
[00:58:07.884]AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, 10, 12, MAYBE THE
[00:58:13.556]YOUNGEST I SAW WAS 7.
[00:58:14.958]THEY SEPARATED THEM BY
[00:58:17.293]GENDER, THE FIRST THING ON MY MIND IS THESE
[00:58:22.065]KIDS WALKED WHEN THEY GOT HERE.
[00:58:23.967]I WAS ON A PLANE.
[00:58:25.501]I THOUGHT ABOUT THEIR PARENTS, CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IT TOOK FOR
[00:58:29.005]THE PARENTS TO SAY, LEAVE.
[00:58:31.341]I WOULD RATHER YOU LEAVE AND WALK, THAN TO STAY HERE.
[00:58:36.112]AND THE STORY OF THE FIRST FOREIGN STAND IN LINE ON ELLIS
[00:58:46.356]ISLAND, WAS ANNIE MOORE.
[00:58:49.726]WHEN THEY RELEASED ME, THEY -- WHEN YOU GET ARRESTED, THEY TAKE
[00:58:55.465]YOUR BELT AND SHOE LACES.
[00:58:58.434]BECAUSE THEY THINK YOU'LL HANG YOURSELF.
[00:59:00.737]SO TO REMIND MYSELF OF THAT MOMENT OF BEING IN THAT CELL, I
[00:59:07.076]ACTUALLY WEAR THE EXACT SAME SHOES I GOT ARRESTED IN WITH NO
[00:59:11.481]SHOE LACES, AND I'M WEARING THEM RIGHT NOW.
[00:59:15.985]I TRY NOT TO FORGET WHERE I WAS AT.
[00:59:19.455]>> JOSE, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY IN YOUR OPINION TO BRING PEOPLE
[00:59:24.460]TOGETHER ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THIS ISSUE, MORE MEANINGFUL
[00:59:29.799]OUTCOME?
[00:59:30.133]>> I ONLY GO ON FOX NEWS NOW.
[00:59:35.638]I LOVE BILL O'RILEY.
[00:59:40.877]I ACTUALLY RESPECT MEGAN KELLY, I THINK SHE'S FAIR, AND I THINK
[00:59:45.949]SHE TRIES TO BE FAIR.
[00:59:48.151]I'M ON HER SHOW TOMORROW NIGHT.
[00:59:49.986]IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE WHO DON'T AGREE WITH YOU.
[00:59:53.723]AND FOR ME, I DO A LOT OF LISTENING.
[00:59:57.694]I DO A LOT OF LISTENING.
[01:00:00.596]AND THEN YOU KNOW WHAT I FIND OUT?
[01:00:02.598]SO MUCH OF IT IS NOT ABOUT ME.
[01:00:06.636]I HAVEN'T HAD TO TALK ABOUT THIS, I MENTIONED TODAY, I WAS
[01:00:11.507]IN SCHOOL ALL DAY WITH CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS.
[01:00:14.677]THERE'S 75,000 MANUFACTURING PLANTS THAT ARE CLOSED IN THE
[01:00:17.580]PAST 12 YEARS.
[01:00:19.482]AND THOSE MANUFACTURING PLANTS HAVE CLOSED IN MOSTLY
[01:00:25.355]PREDOMINATE WHITE TOWNS.
[01:00:27.357]IF YOU'RE NOT TALKING TO THE WHITE WORKING CLASS OF THE
[01:00:31.794]COUNTRY, AND CONNECT TO THE STRUGGLES OF THE LATINOS, AND
[01:00:35.164]THE BLACK LIVES MATTER, WHAT ARE WE DOING?
[01:00:37.967]IF WE DON'T SEE RIGHT, THERE'S CONNECTIONS WHEN WE STRUGGLE.
[01:00:43.539]WE CAN'T JUST LET RUSH LIMBAUGH -- WE ACTUALLY WILL LAUNCH SOON
[01:00:55.218]A CONSERVATIVE RADIO TALK SHOW STRATEGY, SO WE CAN GET AS MANY
[01:01:01.124]UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE ON THE TALK SHOW.
[01:01:05.828]TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT IMMIGRATION.
[01:01:08.031]>> YOU DESCRIBED NOT HAVING AN AFFILIATION WITH EITHER
[01:01:12.635]POLITICAL PARTY, HOW DO WE CHANGE THE GRIDLOCK ON
[01:01:18.141]IMMIGRATION?
[01:01:19.575]>> OH MAN, I THINK POLITICS PLAY A BIG ROLE.
[01:01:23.579]I HAVE A LOT OF FANTASIES IN MY HEAD.
[01:01:26.182]ONE IS, CAN YOU IMAGINE IF EVERY SINGLE TEACHER GOT UP, EVERY
[01:01:34.624]SINGLE TEACHER THAT HAS MENTORED AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT,
[01:01:39.829]RALLIED IN DC, AND SAID, THESE ARE OUR KIDS.
[01:01:44.100]WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ISSUE, PEOPLE ASSOCIATE IT SO MUCH WITH
[01:01:50.740]LATINOS, THEY BARELY SEE IT AS AN ASIAN ISSUE.
[01:01:54.143]IN OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, THE FASTEST GROWING IMMIGRANT IS
[01:01:57.680]ASIAN, NOT LATINO.
[01:02:00.183]75% OF ALL ASIAN ADULTS IN AMERICA ARE IMMIGRANTS.
[01:02:05.955]75%.
[01:02:06.589]THAT'S A HIGHER PERCENTAGE THAN LATINOS, AND YET, WE THINK OF
[01:02:12.128]IMMIGRANTS, WE THINK OF LATINOS OUT OF 33 MILLION MEXICANS
[01:02:19.435]IN AMERICA, 22 MILLION ARE BORN IN THE UNITED STATES.
[01:02:24.707]SO WHEN DONALD TRUMP SAYS WHAT HE WASN'T, WHAT DO YOU THINK
[01:02:28.277]THAT MEANS TO THE ONES BORN IN AMERICA?
[01:02:34.383]STORY TELLING IS -- >> TIME FOR A COUPLE OF MORE
[01:02:37.487]QUESTIONS.
[01:02:37.887]WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE TO FUTURE JOURNALISTS TO REPORT
[01:02:47.563]EQUALLY TO THE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AS YOURSELF.
[01:02:50.366]>> FACTS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO IS CONTEXT.
[01:02:54.804]REALLY PROVIDING AS MUCH CONTEXT AS POSSIBLE WHEN IT COMES TO
[01:02:59.442]THESE ISSUES.
[01:03:01.978]THAT'S WHAT CALLING SOMEONE AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT IS SO NOT
[01:03:05.915]ACCURATE.
[01:03:06.282]DID THE PERSON OVERSTAY THEIR VISA, WERE THEY BROUGHT OVER
[01:03:10.987]WHEN THEY WERE A KID?
[01:03:14.957]IS THERE SOMEONE IN THE FAMILY -- CALLING SOMEONE AN ILLEGAL
[01:03:23.299]IMMIGRANT IS INACCURATE.
[01:03:27.270]>> DO YOU PLAN ON BECOMING A CITIZEN?
[01:03:30.573]>> WHAT?
[01:03:30.907][LAUGHTER] IS THAT REALLY A QUESTION?
[01:03:38.381]DID I MAKE THE PERSON ASK THE PERSON --
[01:03:42.752]>> IT CAME THROUGH THE TWITTER FEED AS WELL.
[01:03:45.388]>> I CAN'T BE A CITIZEN.
[01:03:46.923]LIKE THERE'S NO WAY.
[01:03:49.926]THE ONLY WAY RIGHT NOW IS EITHER IMMIGRATION REFORM.
[01:03:53.763]OR GETTING SOME SORT OF PARDON.
[01:03:56.165]I'M NOT INTERESTED IN GETTING A PARDON.
[01:03:59.135]THE MOMENT I DID THIS, I SAID, IT CAN'T JUST BE ABOUT ME, IT'S
[01:04:03.739]ABOUT ALL OF US, SO WE'RE ALL WAITING FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM.
[01:04:09.745]WHEN THEY TELL ME AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, I'LL SING THE BEST STAR
[01:04:14.550]SPANGLED BANNER, THAT YOU'VE EVER HEARD.
[01:04:17.653][APPLAUSE] I ACTUALLY THOUGHT, IT WAS JOSE,
[01:04:36.973]CAN YOU SEE -- >> WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU
[01:04:40.243]BEING HERE THIS EVENING, WE'D LIKE YOU TO ADDRESS ONE LAST
[01:04:44.814]QUESTION, HOW CAN WE BRING THE DEFINE AMERICAN MOVEMENT TO OUR
[01:04:48.784]UNIVERSITY?
[01:04:49.485]>> YOU'LL START ONE.
[01:04:54.223]HENDAL, HE'S THE COLLEGE COORDINATOR FOR DEFINE AMERICAN.
[01:04:56.726]HE'S HERE, YOU WANT TO START A DEFINE AMERICAN CHAPTER AT THIS
[01:05:02.098]UNIVERSITY.
[01:05:02.498]AND I THINK WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.
[01:05:06.335]AND I CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK WHEN THEY'RE HAVING A HEARING OF
[01:05:11.240]GIVING UNDOCUMENTED NEBRASKA DRIVER'S LICENSES I CAN'T WAIT
[01:05:15.945]FOR THAT.
[01:05:17.013]SO I'LL BE BACK.
[01:05:18.214]>> ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BEFORE WE THANK JOSE
[01:05:20.916]ONE LAST TIME, I WANT TO REMIND YOU TO MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR
[01:05:26.289]THE NEXT FORUM, IT'S SPEAKING ON THE ENVIRONMENT, OCTOBER 6, HERE
[01:05:31.961]AT THE CENTER, GIVE ONE MORE GRAND THANK YOU TO JOSE.
[01:05:35.431]>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[01:05:36.065]>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[01:05:53.416]I'M PLEASED TO TELL YOU JOSE IS IN THE LOBBY, FOR A BRIEF MEET
[01:05:58.321]AND GREET, HAVE A SAFE TRIP HOME, GOOD EVENING.
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Define American: My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant

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