Living Illegal

A myth-busting account of the tragedies, trials, and successes of undocumented immigration in the United States. For decades now, America's polarizing debate over immigration revolved around a set of one-dimensional characters and unchallenged stereotypes. The resulting policies-from the creation of ICE in 2003 to Arizona's draconian law SB 1070-are dangerous and profoundly counterproductive. Based on years of research into the lives of ordinary migrants, Living Illegal offers richly textured stories of real people-working, building families, and enriching their communities even as the political climate grows more hostile. In the words of Publishers Weekly, it is a compassionate and well-reasoned exploration of why migrants come to the U.S. and how they integrate into American society. Moving beyond conventional arguments, Living Illegal challenges our assumptions about who these people are and how they have adapted to the confusing patchwork of local immigration ordinances. This revealing narrative takes us into Southern churches (often the only organizations open to migrants), into the fields of Florida, onto the streets of major American cities during the immigrant rights marches of 2006, and across national boundaries-from Brazil to Mexico and Guatemala.