26 thoughts on “Asynchronous Assignment on Undocumented”

1. The debates that both Dan-el parents have are about them not coming to an agreement on whether they should return to the Dominican Republic or not. Dan-el mom wants to stay in the United States because she wants a good life for her kids, Dan-el and Yando. Whereas the father wants to go back to the Dominican Republic because he doesn’t like the life he is living in NYC. He explains how in DR he was a licenciado and he was teaching accounting and that in NYC he is just a taxi driver and a fruit seller. He can’t have a good job in NYC because he doesn’t have papeles. They are immigrants without papeles. The mother and father took different decisions because the mother is putting her kids before her. She explains that in DR they are not safe in their own home because of the job she had. Also, she just wants the best for her kids. She wants them to have an education because going to school in DR is not the same as going to school in NYC. She wants them to receive good medical attention if they were to get sick in NYC. But the Dad does not think about his kids. I feel like he puts himself first because like I mention before he doesn’t like the life he is living in. He rather go back to DR where his family can be financially stable and not poor like they are in NYC. I feel like in a way he feels like a failure to his wife in kids because he can’t support them financially as much as he wants to while living in NYC.

   1. Roxanna, I agree with your statement that Dan-el’s father may have felt like a failure because he couldn’t support his family in New York, but I don’t know if he’s putting himself first necessarily. I think both parents were thinking about their children’s well-being in their decision to stay in New York or go back to the Dominican Republic. His father knew that he could financially provide for his family in DR, but without the paperwork allowing him to work in NY, there were not many jobs he could get. It is a valid concern to have and his main motivation for going back to DR. It also seems like they were not planning on staying in the U.S. for such a long time, so returning to DR was always the plan for him. On the other hand, Dan-el’s mom was scared of returning to DR because of threats she got at work and crime in Santo Domingo, and she knew her children’s education would be better in NY as well. She is thinking about the future and safety of her children. Both parents had their reasons for wanting to stay or not wanting to stay and I think it’s sad that they were forced to separate simply because they didn’t have papeles and a means of survival in NY. But I also think it was wrong of Dan-el’s father to place the responsibility of his mother and brother on Dan-el. A child should not have to be responsible for their parents and siblings. And Dan-el’s father became selfish to me after he returned to DR because he still wasn’t able to financially help them after returning home, which was his main reason for going back in the first place.

   2. Hi Roxanna, I agree with you on how Dan-el’s mother wants to stay in New York for the future of her kids and how his father wants to leave because he feels like a failure. I understand Dan-el’s father for wanting to leave a country that makes him feel very poor and inferior. However, I also thought it wasn’t right of him to leave his wife and children alone in a foreign country knowing that they weren’t well off. It seems to me he was a bit selfish and impatient because he didn’t think of his kids’ future or what the future can hold for him and his family. He also made himself look worse in my eyes when he stopped sending money to his kids because not only did he leave them, but he also stopped supporting them financially.

   3. Hi Roxanna, I agree with the idea that their mom wants to stay in the U.S. for better education opportunities and a safer environment to live in. The father wants to return to DR because he doesn’t like his life in NYC, the father’s consideration is the papeles, only Yondo has official identification in the U.S., Don-el and their mom are immigrants without the green card so when they apply for WIC and other government support, they can only get $40 dollars, it is difficult for them to remain a basic living standard, especially when the father stops sending money, which is ironic because he went back to DR thinking that he will be able to earn money for the family but when he actually returned to DR, he says he has to support other relatives so he was not able to sendtoo much money.

   4. Hey Roxanna, the dynamic is very common in a lot of Latin families that move to the US. Currency change and job payments can cause a lot of divide between adults and their children. It’s sad because you really have to decide how much you would take and sacrifice sometimes for the comfort of family. The family here shows the tension that moving out of the norm can create and how when that tension boils over the problem grows. This leaves me to my last point that conversations like these need to be had for the sake of peaceful life.

   5. Hi Roxanna,
      I agree with your analysis of the parents having different perspectives on migration. The mother was thinking about the long term benefits for staying in New York for her children while the father was thinking for the moment and how unhappy he was. I do understand the father’s perspective of wanting to return to the Dominican Republic because he had a better career over there while in New York his work opportunities were limited because he doesn’t have papers. However, I think he let his ego get the best of him and was very selfish because when he left New York, his family became significantly more poor. Only the youngest son, Yando, was able to receive government aid because he is a United States citizen unlike his brother and mother. This is significant because I think it highlights the idea that immigrants have to work very hard for what they have because the government doesn’t help undocumented families as much as many people think. I think it’s a common belief that immigrants show up and are given the world and “take” from U.S. citizens, when in reality they need to work twice as hard because there aren’t free handouts when you’re not a citizen.

   6. Hey there Roxanna! I also think that the mother was determined to stay in the United States because she wanted what was best for her kids, as a mother she was thinking of her children. I was actually pretty surprised by the father’s decision and I do think he let his emotions get the best of him. The father was aware that without having papeles his chances of attaining a proper paying job with benefits would be slim. I understand that going from being a Licenciado to a taxi driver, fruit seller, and factory worker is a big difference but the mother made her concerns about returning to DR well-known to him but I guess the father was more concerned about being able to have a proper job to provide for his family, especially after his accident. Not to mention, back in DR, the father had accomplishments to his name but here in New York, he had nothing to his name. It seems like the father still had a future back in DR compared to the mother who mentioned that she felt the union leaders at her job never liked her and heard that something would happen to her if she kept doing what she was doing.

   7. I also think that the debate between Dan-el’s mother and father regarding whether they should return to the Dominican Republic is an interesting one. I feel that I could potentially understand where Dan-el’s father is coming from, he definitely struggles with the transition from being an educated and successful professional in the Dominican Republic, to working low-level basic jobs that don’t make use of the skills and knowledge he has, simply because he is undocumented and new to the country. I do also agree with Emily Pacheco’s comment above, however, regarding him giving into his ego, because at the end of the day, he chose to return to his homeland, against his family’s wishes, leaving them behind. I personally think that debates like this are very difficult in family discussions about migration, but what’s most important is the good of the family unit, and unfortunately, as many immigrant families understand, this often entails making sacrifices for each other. Dan-el’s father elected not to make this sacrifice; he instead left his family alone in a foreign country, and then, despite promising to continue to support them from the Dominican Republic with his better employment opportunities, he financially abandoned them shortly thereafter.

2. Dan-el Padilla Peralta’s memoir Undocumented presents a dilemma that most immigrant parents face while in the United States or any foreign country for that matter. The question arises whether they should stay in the United States or they should return and go back to the motherland. In the circumstances of the Padilla-Peralta family, both the mother and the father had adequate jobs which would be able to give them better means of living back in the Dominican Republic. Although this is true, the way of life would not be suitable for the children which the mother is taking into consideration when discussing with the father the possibility of going back to the Dominican Republic. The mother takes into account that both the education as well as safety in the Dominican Republic aren’t as regarded and thus would not provide their children with the best opportunity to thrive educationally in comparison to the United States. Additionally, she notes that since the hospitals are terrible this would have led to the abortion of the youngest one Yando. Finally, the mother backs her case to stay in the United States by prioritizing her children and clarifying that it would be safer in the United States than in the Dominican Republic. While the father’s considerations are more based on the economic perspective the mother focuses on the future of her children in her argument to stay in the United States despite the way of life may not be best for them at the moment.

   1. Hi Eric, I think you make a great point by highlighting the universality of the dilemma the Padilla-Peralta family initially faces. The difference in the motivations between Dan-el’s mother and father is definitely evident in the arguments they make. The mother’s argument is almost always centered on the well-being of her children and the family’s future. She brings up when they had to block all their windows with steel bars to protect themselves from rampant crime, reasoning with her husband by asking: “How could we live with ourselves if something ever happened to our children?” (15) She also retorts against her husband by mentioning how well Dan-el is doing in school, comparing his education in New York City with the education system back home in Santo Domingo.

      The father, however, as you point out, seems more concerned about their reputation and economic standing, especially that of his wife and his own. Even a young Dan-el who couldn’t grasp the magnitude of the situation was able to notice his father would always bring up the fact they didn’t have enough money and needed to return to Santo Domingo. Indeed, he later compares their reputable careers back in Santo Domingo to their lower-paying jobs in New York City, reasoning that they could have their lives back and all the money and security that came with it if they return. I think both are definitely concerned with the well-being of their children, but Dan-el’s recollection of these arguments shows the unfortunate reality that many immigrant families face, which is exacerbated since they are also undocumented.

   2. I agree with this statement. I feel like although the Dominican Republic is their true home, the family would have not gotten certain opportunities. There is a reason why they moved to the United States, for a better life, in a way. Sure, they were financially not the best for some time due to their jobs, but they were able to get help from WIC, and the homeless shelter. It might not have been the best, but a little help is better than no help at all. Also, Dan-el Padilla at first did not like his new Kindergarten class since he had to socialize with his classmates to read, but it actually turned out good as he was the top reader and writer in his class to the point where one of his writings were published in the newspaper—which is an opportunity which would not have happened if they stayed in the Dominic Republic. Although the father is having financial worries, he is getting help as stated before. I like how you brought up the fact that the mother would have been ‘forced’ to do an abortion (which she most likely would dislike since she gave birth)– thus creating a bigger family. All in all, leaving the Dominic Republic might have been a struggle for the family, but a lot of great things came out of it.

3. Option One:

   The reason Dan-el and his family flew into the US from the Dominican Republic and made their home in New York City was because one Dan-el brother, Yando was born in New York before their trip had had became permanent which, was giving their mother time to heal as her C-section scar had became infected.And the second reason was because Dan-el’s mother wanted her kids to have a great life with better opportunities.In other words, they originally flew out to New York to visit his Tia Altgracia and Mercedes,their trip was not really meant to be permanent.Dan-el early impression of New York City gave the notion that it was bad because he viewed New York as a difficult place to navigate through due distance, street names, and the names of different neighborhoods.He also, didn’t like how the pre-k system was for children like him because he felt restricted to doing activities that only the teacher would assigned. Whereas, when he was living in Santo Domingo he felt a sense of freedom in the classroom.This is actually very relatable to my family because both of my parents are immigrants from the Dominican Republic who arrived in NYC with their parents in order to have great job opportunities.

   1. Hi Bryan! I noticed the same reasons why Dan-el’s family decided to make New York their home since it is different from the Dominican Republic. One of the reasons that become clear early on in the text is his mother’s determination to find better doctors to help with her pregnancy since she is not able able to find good resources back in her native country. There is importance in healthcare, since in the United States there is more access to a better system, although it does cause them to have to come back and forth to get the help they need. Furthermore, there starts to be some notable signs of how education is better in the United States, especially when it comes to Dan-el’s early interest in reading showing that he might have better opportunities. Building on the idea of them overextending their Visa stay, this is something that many others have also done, but now they lack “papeles” giving them an undocumented status. There are many notable signs of Dan-el’s curiosity about a new place, but also knowing that he is in a place that will not offer him the same comfort of stability that he once had. Furthermore, Dan-el takes notice of his parent’s struggles even if he does not yet understand, and this exposes him to the ways in which he will help his parents. Overall the first impression of New York is one of more possibility but less stability.

4. Dan-el and his family arrived in the US from the Dominican Republic and made their home in New York because they were visiting Tía Altagracia and Tía Mercedes, but they were also going to the doctors for treatment for his pregnant mother. She needed more treatment than expected and gave birth to his brother, Yando, but then she had to heal her infected wound from the C-section. The parents had been in New York for too long, so their bosses in Santo Domingo couldn’t hold their jobs anymore. Dan-el’s mother was not worried because she wanted him to have a better life in the US than the life she knew in Santo Domingo. Dan-el and his family got a new apartment in the Bronx, which was close to Tía Altagracia. Then, Dan-el’s father enrolled him at the local public school for kindergarten. Dan-el’s early impression of the country was that it was complicated because of all the names, places, and distances to get anywhere. He also did not like the school at first because it was different from his school in Santo Domingo. “At my pre-K in Santo Domingo, they’d let me read on my own. Now I had to do activities with other kids, and that wasn’t as much fun” (13). However, Dan-el began to like school when his teacher was impressed with his reading and wrote good comments on his report card, which made his parents proud.

   1. Hey Tony,

      I agree with your statement and brings new light to my perspective as well as sight to story. Schooling as well as the adjustment period for Dan-El was difficult as he was not able to do what he liked, he was being micro managed as well as he was not getting the same experience. The adjustment period was also increased and met with the disdain of the father. As the father started to hate New York and miss Santo Domingo it became worse for the family as the mother wanted to stay in New York for the opportunities for the children. The family begins to start to struggle as the father abandons them and they do not have the leg room that they had compared to in the past. It makes it harder for them to adjust as well as that would make them want to move back to Santo Domingo as why would they rather struggle when there is a safe haven always available waiting.

5. In this story Dan-el and his family moved from the Dominican Republic to New York unexpectedly and with this their life took a turn for the worst. In DR the parents had esteemed jobs and the dad expresses about how in DR he meant something. The US does not provide these same opportunities and both parents are stuck working odd jobs making minimal wages trying to make ends meet. Without the papeles the father feels there is no need to remain in NY while the mother fights to stay. While in NY they were lower than lower class and with the fathers departure they fall even more into the abyss. The father sends money but eventually he stops and with the mother in her moment of desperation she tries to apply to welfare and her and Dan-el are rejected, only the brother is eligible and it is still not enough. This system was rigged against people who don’t have the papeles being that they would ideally only want their citizens to reap the benefits.

   1. I agree with Justin, it was challenging for them get appropriate jobs with titles brought from Santo Domingo. Their titles have more value in Santo Domingo verses the United States. I know a few people that are doctors in Mexico, but their title here doesn’t have value. Instead of being a doctor, they work in factories earning very little. Daniel’s mom has a different a perspective, she doesn’t see value in herself because her main focus are her children. While the dad of old age wants to head back because his life in New York gave him no more meaning. The age difference also plays a big part. The mom is younger, so she dreams bigger. It does suck that WIC and welfare weren’t much help. But the mom made and effort to seek help from the government. She mentions to Daniel, she won’t ask for her family for help. She didn’t need the extra critics from loved ones. Sometimes family do help family but at what cost? Breaking you down and constantly telling her she “needs a man.” At the end of the day, is her children that matter first and come first.

   2. Hi Justin!
      I agree with you! Throughout the novel we can see the various different perspectives which they all have. The mom who cares about the well being of her kids, and her refusal to return to DR in fear that they would be hurt because of her old job. While the father really cares about his career and money. We see how upset he is due to the lack of jobs that he can have due to his undocumented status. And when he finally returns to the Dominican Republic he realizes that things there are not as easy as he once found them to be, because even though he can practice his career he does not make enough money. As for Dan-el he doesn’t really realize at first the life which he is living in, he doesn’t know they are poor. This is sadly the reality which many immigrants have to go through. This is further emphasized when they apply for public welfare and they only get money from his brother. Sadly as you said, people believe that immigrants take so much in welfare while in reality they do not. Immigrants have to work harder to have some access to what citizens have, yet they know they won’t have it as good as citizens but have no choice but to keep going.

6. Option Two:

   It is very interesting to see how the parents had two different perspectives on whether or not they should stay in New York or go back to Santo Domingo. Something that I took note of which I believe is influential to their perspectives is their age gap. Dan-el’s mom is 29 when they first move and their dad is 51. It is much harder to adapt to a new place and lifestyle when you’re older, he was already used to his life in the Dominican Republic, versus his mom is still at an age where adapting is easier to do. She has energy, she is at a prime age for health or at least in comparison to her husband who is much older. Another thing that I took note of is the fact that both of them had good careers/jobs in the Dominican Republic. The dad most likely started his career in his 20s, which means for 30 years he had a good job, a desk job. The switch to becoming a Taxi driver in NYC, where he barely knows the language is difficult. He was also a Professor, and going from someone who was seen as intellectual to someone who doesn’t even know the most common language spoken by everyone else makes you doubt your intellect. He rather face the obstacles he already knows back home. On the other hand the mom prioritizes “safety” and the future of her children but it’s ironic because although yes there are more opportunities for her sons in the US, NYC at the time wasn’t all that safe and the opportunities are limited. It is interesting how she was convinced the American Dream was real, but is facing struggles to find a job, and to take care of her family. The “dream” is accesible to those with citizenship, and if you’re white, or are more acceptable by white standards then you can be provided access.

   1. I agree with everything you said about the parents and why the have different perspectives. When reading, I really understood where the dad was coming from. He probably worked very hard in his youth in order to be in a good position as he aged, and it is not easy to just throw that away. I had not considered the age thing before, but it makes sense why it might be a factor in their differing views. Dan-el’s mom is much younger and still has the strength to start from the bottom. The dad, on the other had, is already in his fifties and must have a different outlook on life. While I felt for the mom and understood her fears, I believe her notion of the ‘American dream’ is sort of unrealistic. I know many people who have given up everything chasing this dream, only to be disappointed when nothing comes of it.

   2. I also thought about the fact that Dan-el’s father being much older made the transition to life in New York much more difficult for him. Dan-el says that he began to notice his father aging, and living in a place where he had to do more physically exhausting work than he did at his office job in the Dominican Republic just brought another set of challenges for him. Although Dan-el’s mother was willing to stay in New York and face whatever challenges she had to in order to provide better opportunities for her children, it’s clear that they would have had much better financial opportunities in the Dominican Republic. The idea of the American Dream does not seem like
      it applied to Dan-els family, because the fact that they were undocumented prevented them from having access to a lot of opportunities that would have helped them achieve financial freedom and comfort. Although the kids have better access to education and healthcare, the family is facing tremendous financial challenges and living in much more difficult conditions than they would have in their home country.

7. Option 2
   The mother and father made different decisions because both had different beliefs on how their lives would turn out in America. In the book, it seemed as though Dan-el’s mother wanted to settle down in New York, she saw there were more educational opportunities for her children and she saw that as her priority. Her education first ideology is very different from Dan-el’s father because it is implied that he came to New York with his family to make money and then come back to DR in order to live out his life. He actually did do that, but I think that since their ages were so different they had opposing ideas of what was important. Dan-el’s mother had people waiting for her in DR, and according to her they weren’t good people. She disliked feeling as unsafe as she did in the Dominican Republic and how the medicine/doctors were so behind compared to the United States. Dan-el’s father had lived most of his life in the Dominican Republic and in a way felt like a fish out of water in New York and even though his wife wanted to stay, it seemed as though that wasn’t enough for him.

8. Peralta’s documenting of his parents dynamic was most interesting to me. They decided to come to the United States in hopes of having a better life, also known as the American Dream. Both of his parents had respectable office jobs prior to this and were obviously native to the Dominican Republic, which becomes the main reason for Dan-el’s father desires to return. To him, living in NYC has been nothing but a burden to his family. Going back to my previous statement, Dan-el’s parents dynamic is the focus; being a man and a woman in this situation is very different. When his mother gives reasons to stay in the US, they revolve around safety. Bad healthcare, living conditions, and high crime rates are things that she wants to avoid She also mentions how she believes staying long term will be best for their children’s futures. On the other hand, money is Dan-el’s fathers main concern. What is the use of staying when we had a more stable life back home? He cannot see his wife’s concerns as of equal importance because he does not face the same battles that he does being a man. This is a very common scenario and dynamic that hopefully continues to unfold in the next section.

9. OPTION ONE: Why and how Dan-el and his family arrived in the US from the Dominican Republic and made their home in New York? What were his early impressions of the country?

   Coming to this country is not always an easy journey. Many families and immigrants go through hardships before eventually settling down. In the memoir Undocumented by Dan-el Padilla Peralta you can see how Dan-el parents struggle to make a tough decision to either stay in the US or go back home to the DR. Unfortunately the parents do not agree with each other regarding whether they should return home or not. A major contributon to them not feeling welcome in the US is because they don’t have immigration papers. Additonally, not being finacially secure is a part of wanting to go back home because it was “easier” for them to be poor back in the DR. As a parent you want the best life you can give for you kids and in this memoir you can see how the mother is wanting to take these risks by staying to ultimately give her kids a better life in the US. It was really interesting to read the story of Dan-el’s life and it has allowed me as a reader to imagine what being undocumented is like and how each and every immigration story differs in their own way.

10. OPTION TWO

    Peraltas parent both arrived to the United States in the pursue of the American dream, the mother put a big emphasis on the education of her kids and America offered much more opportunities in the aspect than DR did. The father had a different goal tho, he didn’t arrive to the United States with the intent of staying. The father wanted to making a living and save up everything he could to then return to his country and live much better there and he also felt out of place in the US as DR was where he spent majority of his life and the only home he knew. Another reason the mother wanted to say is due to better living condition, safety for her and her kids and up to date healthcare.

11. Option 2
    The family encountered a lot of struggles transitioning from a stable life to a whole new one they had to build from scratch. Although the U.S has better opportunities, they’re never just handed to you. You have to go out your way to look for jobs, an affordable place to live, good school, etc. The family tried the best they could but Danel’s dad just didn’t feel comfortable. He felt like he lived a better life In DR and that’s why he was determined to go back. He had a higher positioned job than what he had in New york. Danel’s mom disagreed because she knew once they would get papers they’d have a better chance at jobs and building a better income. The mother also took her kids and their futures into mind and how they’re able to get a good education vs the one they were getting in DR. I feel like all immigrant families go through this struggle at one point and they end up feeling like they came here for no reason. It takes time to make a stable life here and it just depends on you to get yourself there.

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