“Jonathan” is an 18-year-old female college student who only recently learned about her immigration status. When asked if she identifies as being “American,” she responds, “I thought I was born here.” Jonathan recently learned about her immigration status when her mother told her that she could not get her driver license because she did not have her papers. In describing what it feels like to be undocumented, she states, “Being here undocumented, I feel like I’m being rejected from American society.” This feeling is compounded by her family dynamic. Jonathan, like many undocumented youth, is a member of a mixed-status family, meaning some of her relatives are documented while she is not. Her brother, who is a citizen, has gone so far as to call her a “beaner.”
