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Chapter Fourteen & FAQ #7 

Summary: Chapter Fourteen: Illegal Immigrant Problems

Sara’s diary for March 29, 1998, records the emotional aftermath of her worst fight with her parents. Ali and Shohreh take her out of school for a day to deal with immigration paperwork when Sara wants to hang out with her friend Izzy. Sara throws a fit about being sick of being an illegal immigrant, of waiting for nothing, of not feeling normal. Normally, her parents indulge her feelings. But this time, Ali blows up and screams that he hates his life. Sara and her parents apologize to each other, and Sara comes to appreciate how much stress her parents are under.

Ali and Shohreh filed for their green cards in 1985. Now Samira is about to age out of the system. If she doesn’t get her green card by June 22, 1998, she’ll no longer be eligible for one. Fortunately, the paperwork gets processed in time. Samira and Shohreh get their green cards, but Sara and Ali have to wait two more years. Getting her green card means Sara can get financial aid for her senior year of college. She’ll have to wait five more years before she can become a citizen.

Summary: Frequently Asked Question #7: I’m undocumented and I’m scared. Any words of advice?

Sara empathizes with this question because she herself lived in fear for so many years. She admits that conditions are getting more terrifying for immigrants. She explains the provisions of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), implemented in June 2012 by President Barack Obama, and describes the progress through the courts of DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents). Sara denounces the changes made by the Trump administration to immigration policy, especially his restrictions on Muslim immigrants. She reminds readers of their rights, warns them against breaking laws, and assures them that millions of people will keep the immigrants’ struggle alive.

Analysis: Chapter Fourteen & FAQ #7

In this part of the book, Saedi describes how being undocumented can negatively affect all aspects of an immigrant’s life, from family relationships to finances. Even though Sara’s family is supportive and loving, her frustration at having to give up aspects of normal American teenage life to deal with immigration issues causes her to fight with her parents. The Saedis intentionally conceal Samira’s impending green card deadline from her so as not to worry her in the lead-up to finals at college and her twenty-first birthday, which for many Americans is associated with the freedom to buy alcohol. In contrast, for Samira, the milestone is fraught with danger rather than freedom. In addition, not having green cards means Sara and Samira are not eligible for college financial aid, placing great strain on the family’s finances. Saedi uses these incidents and her explanation of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) to emphasize how the process of obtaining legal status as an immigrant in the United States is far more difficult and complicated than many natural-born Americans may realize.

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