Undocumented, Then and Now

Radio Diaries : Juan’s Diaries: Undocumented, Then and Now Image
Radio Diaries : Juan’s Diaries: Undocumented, Then and Now Image

Undocumented, Then and Now

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Back in the 1990s, Juan crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, and settled with his family next to the Rio Grande river in Texas. We gave him a cassette recorder to document his life there for NPR. Almost two decades later, we gave Juan another recorder to report on his life as an adult. In many ways, Juan has achieved the American Dream - he has a house, a good job, and three American kids. But…he’s still undocumented.