Underground America

Narratives of Undocumented Lives

Millions of undocumented immigrants live in the United States under constant threat of imprisonment or deportation. They survive underground, with little protection from exploitation by human smugglers, employers, or law enforcement. Underground America presents the remarkable oral histories of men and women struggling to carve out a life in the United States.

Among the narrators:

Farid, an Iranian-American business owner who employs a number of American citizens while he himself remains undocumented. A critic of the Iranian government, he fears for his safety if he is deported to his native country.

Diana, who along with thousands of other Latino workers helped rebuild the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. After completing her work, she and many others were detained and imprisoned for not having proper documentation.

Liso, who was enticed to come to the United States as a religious missionary, but on arrival was forced into unpaid domestic labor.