Half My Family Is Illegal
From: Radio Rookies
Series: Radio Rookies: Coming Up in 2011
Length: 07:19
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This story offers a new perspective on one of the most politically charged issues of our time: illegal immigration. A lot of attention has been paid to young adults who were brought here illegally with their parents and are now growing up undocumented. There’s been much less focus on their younger siblings—the kids who were born in the United States and grow up in mixed-status homes. That’s the case for Alicia Martinez, who is using a fake name to protect her family’s identity. Alicia lives in Port Richmond, a neighborhood on the north shore of Staten Island with one of the fastest growing immigrant populations in New York. She has struggled to meet her parents’ expectations and to overcome the guilt she feels that her older sister’s life is much more limited than hers.
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Piece Description
This story offers a new perspective on one of the most politically charged issues of our time: illegal immigration. A lot of attention has been paid to young adults who were brought here illegally with their parents and are now growing up undocumented. There’s been much less focus on their younger siblings—the kids who were born in the United States and grow up in mixed-status homes. That’s the case for Alicia Martinez, who is using a fake name to protect her family’s identity. Alicia lives in Port Richmond, a neighborhood on the north shore of Staten Island with one of the fastest growing immigrant populations in New York. She has struggled to meet her parents’ expectations and to overcome the guilt she feels that her older sister’s life is much more limited than hers.
Broadcast History
WNYC "Morning Edition" June 2011
Transcript
ALICIA: Zero becomes a 10. So what’s 10 - 9.
COUSIN: It’s 1
ALICIA: Yes
NARRATION: I’m in the living room helping my 9 year old cousin with his homework. He was born here like me. And his parents are illegal just like mine. But he doesn’t know it.
ALICIA: You know what your parents are? Illegal immigrants.
NARRATION: Whenever I hear people using that word “Illegal” they always emphasize it as if it’s a dirty word, but I’m doing the same with my little cousin.
ALICIA: Was your mom born here?
COUSIN: Mexico
ALICIA: Yeah like my parents, is that they came here without permission.
COUSIN: So without permission?
ALICIA: yea …
And if the government finds her they’ll put her in jail and they’ll send her back to Mexico.
COUSIN: Don’t say that ‘cause you’re making me cry
NARRATION: I know he’s probably too young to understand all of this, but I don’t want him to find out from kids te...
Read the full transcript
Additional Credits
Sanda Htyte, Producer
Marianne McCune, Editor
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Forced Out (09:33)
Olivia Cueva
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:46 PM | Permalink
Review of "Half of My Family Is Illegal"
Wow. This piece is an incredibly delicate and personal reflection of growing up in the U.S. when more than half of your immediate family is undocumented. I almost did not want to review this piece because I did not want to draw unfriendly attention to the story. The moments shared between Youth producer Alicia Martinez and her family are heartwarming and engaging. The piece flows well from beginning to end and Martinez has an beautiful and inviting voice for radio. Definitely worth listening to.