Pulitzer-prize winner Vargas says he's an illegal immigrant

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Stop the back and forth bickering and stop the insults and personal attacks. Any further posts not directly related to this topic will find their poster thread banned.

[Karee 4,190]

Yeah Jersey Shore girl mentioned it, and it ain't a very good way of matching talent to coming here unless you're some PhD from afar.

This guy still needs to go.

Agreed. Kinda sad when you work at Verizon. The whole place is H1B. Internally and externally. Need a password reset, you get Sanjaya on the phone.

They b1tch about paying SS tax, which they will never see.

[William33 110]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/magazine/my-life-as-an-undocumented-immigrant.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general

For those of you who are inclined, the above link is Vargas's own account of his story published in the New York Times Magazine last Sunday, titled "My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant" written by Vargas himself. Reading this adds many more layers of complexity and thought to the debate, once you read his own words.

In every respect, America is the only home Vargas has ever known (he was brought into the country by a coyote when he was 12 years old, from the Philippines).

He definitely puts a face to the "illegal immigrant" that many of us probably associate with low-skilled, blue collar laborers. He won a Pullitzer Prize and wrote for the most respected publications in the country including the Washington Post and the New Yorker. He obtained a bachelors degree in the US. He pays federal and state taxes.

While Vargas may be undocumented, everything about him is American: his ambition, his talent, his desire for success, his diligence, and of course sheer bravery for actually sharing his story last week. I would love to officially welcome Vargas into the rich, diverse, capitalist, and beautiful fabric of America. He adds value to my country. He contributes to our intellect, as seen in his Pulitzer winning journalism. And he shares The Dream.

Your words are compelling, but the law rules...I was moved by the CNN version of the story, but this does not excuse sidestepping US immigration laws. Is he entitled to an exception? Absolutely! Those that have contributed less have been awarded citizenship here, so why not him? The USA needs to realize the difference....

[wshc 46]

I hate to come across as pessimistic but something Jim posted to another user in the AOS forum recently sparked a thought. Has he played his hand knowing its a winning one? Will there be a private bill for him? Has he posted this article as his key to getting what he always wanted?

You hit the nail on the head. A private bill is exactly what is going to happen. The article was just a set-up. He will now be the poster child for illiegals and his private bill will soon follow then that will be followed by another attempt at the Dream Act.

Does anyone know who his Congressman is? More than likely a Democrat. Enough said.

Edited June 26, 2011 by wshc

[Darnell 8,478]

San Francisco right? Is Pelosi ?

[Ippsy Pippsy 31]

Did anything new happen with this?

[Zero Sum 305]

Agreed. Kinda sad when you work at Verizon. The whole place is H1B. Internally and externally. Need a password reset, you get Sanjaya on the phone.

They b1tch about paying SS tax, which they will never see.

You probably didn't get a US-side H1Ber... again, qualification for the H1B is a little more than something you'd get at a call center. But enjoy your call to India. I always do.

[Fandango 1,439]

I read this article this morning on Huffpost.

This guy is guilty of document fraud. That's a felony. He's also in the country without authorization and a textbook example to show that "illegal immigrants do only jobs no American will do" is incorrect.

So I hope his "celebrity" status will not prevent the authorities from doing what the law requires. I hope he has been arrested already and will be charged with fraud. Once he has served his time behind bars and is being released from prison, he should be escorted to the airport and be deported with a lifetime bar attached. The legislator should show that indeed all people are equal under the law.

I agree with you, but considering you history, it's rich coming from you.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I agree with you, but considering you history, it's rich coming from you.

Why would you say that?

To the best of my knowledge, I never committed document fraud nor have I ever committed a crime, not even a misdemeanor. I never claimed to be a US citizen before I became one, I never used a fake SSN, I never had or used a fake Green Card.

I really beg to differ here.

[jundp 191]

I don't think Vargas should be allowed to go unpunished for this, but I do commend him for coming forward publicly. Obviously he's been in the public eye for years and it never came out, so I don't think he admitted this to avoid someone else breaking the story.

This is a definite grey area in terms of immigration law. He came here as a 12 year old, knew at 16 he was here illegally, received advice from mentors/teachers/adults to not say anything -- not that it really matters, but I imagine that this knowledge weighed on him for years. Anyway, I think letting it go and allowing him to remain unpunished sets a dangerous precedent. It also begs the question why it would be okay for him, as a Pulitzer winner, to stay in the US and be granted amnesty, but not someone who is just your average worker.

I'm very conflicted on this, personally.

[brklny 2]

I personaly feel bad for him and I hope that either a private bill or something else in the works will issue him a reprive. But more to the point his story is clearly a sign that the immigration laws need to be changed/revised. Like junpd said this is the gray area of immigration laws.

Even if you don't feel bad for him (you can feel bad for someone and still disagree with their actions). Wouldn't you want him to stay in the country which gave him the tools to be a successful writer and let the US benefit from him as much as he benefited from it. Reading his story he clearly tried to be the best "citizen" that he can be and contribute to this sociaty. I think he made up a lie and after a while started believing it. Yes he broke laws, but he is not a violet criminal or an embezzler, or even an immoral person. He told one lie (which he believed to be true for some years) and repeated it for 10 years... he lied about his immigration status, he wasn't going around fabricating news stories, or writing bad checks or stealing, or killing people.

Yes, what he did is illegal, but he was put in that situation when he was a minor,let's not forget that. And it may be very easy to say he should have left when he turned 18, but in reality what 18 year old leaves his home knowing he might never be able to return. He can't go to the school he wants to, see his friends, see his relatives or be who he is, who he wants to be because of something he had no control over.

I think he is trying to do the right thing now, let him do that. Also just because something is illegal right now it doesn't mean that it was 10 years ago or will be 10 years from now, so illegal doesn't always equals wrong or immoral. (couple of examples a marriage b/w different races was illegal, slavery was legal, claiming US citizenship to a private organization was not illegal until 1996). Some things are not black and white, there should be room for discretion and waivers, but really a reform is needed ASAP.

JustBob I am so surprised by your words. I though you would have more compassion.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I wondered why he came forward at this point. There are 3 reasons:

1) He needed to update his employment authorization (I-9), but he couldn't get a fake "new" Green Card.

2) He realized that as a gay-as-it-gets Filipino boy-toy, marriage is not an option for him.

3) Since USCIS does not deport any illegal alien that would benefit from the DREAM Act (up to 35 years of age!), he can do his TV appearances and speaking appointments and cash in.

[scandal 951]

JustBob I am so surprised by your words. I though you would have more compassion.

I'm not.

2) He realized that as a gay-as-it-gets Filipino boy-toy, marriage is not an option for him.

Any more questions?

[Fandango 1,439]

Why would you say that?

To the best of my knowledge, I never committed document fraud nor have I ever committed a crime, not even a misdemeanor. I never claimed to be a US citizen before I became one, I never used a fake SSN, I never had or used a fake Green Card.

I really beg to differ here.

So how did you work and pay taxes, considering you were illegal here for what, like almost 20 years?

[Karee 4,190]

Took a year to get my wife here doing it the LEGAL way. Why should this guy get to jump the line?