OPINION: Jose Antonio Vargas is NOT one of us.

As many of you may already know, a Filipino, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist came forward to publicly reveal that he has been an undocumented immigrant since he arrived here at the age of 12 in 1993.

For those who want to read his full story, check out this New York Times article.

His story is just like so many of us here on this forum. Truly, members here share in the same level of intellect, drive, and passion to be contributing Americans.

However, I take personal issue with the means by which Mr. Vargas went about achieving his success.

First, his legal grandparents paid for false documents for Mr. Vargas. This included a fake green card, 2 fake passports, a fake student visa, and a fake social security number. While much of this was done without Mr. Vargas' knowledge, things changed when he realized that he needed more to achieve all that he has.

To start his career, Vargas knowingly falsified his already illegitimate employment authorization card by removing the " Valid with I.N.S. authorization" text that was marked on the card.

Then, to continue his career climb, Vargas, as a competent adult continually claimed U.S. Citizenship on employment forms, as he found it easier than declaring permanent resident status.

As if that were not enough, Mr. Vargas went on to obtain a driver's license from Oregon by claiming the address of another individual. This new document enabled him to travel at will, and more importantly obtain a lucrative internship.

This soon led to various, lucrative positions at several well-known news agencies.

Then, most recently, this past year Mr. Vargas obtained yet another driver's license from the state of Washington.

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Though his success may be admirable, the means by which he achieved it are not.

So many others, including myself, have lived our lives in this country by the letter of the law. It would be so easy, and convenient to obtain false documents and then go on to achieve success in the work world and live decades at a time as normal Americans.

But, we don't.

I don't do it like that because my parent's set an example by abiding by the law, and my love for this country's laws is too great to do otherwise.

I was brought to this country at the age of 7 months, and graduated at the top of my high school and university classes. Yet, I am unable to put my valuable degree to good use.

My parent's were victims of the shoddy work of an immigration attorney. Yet, they don't use that as an excuse to circumvent the laws of this land. When my father's driver's license expired, he did not search for illegitimate means of obtaining one from another state, but rather sold the family car and we've been struggling ever since. Year after year, my parent's overpay taxes, never once being able to claim their children as dependents. When my brother, who is physically handicapped needs medical attention, they must pay exorbitant fees, out of pocket, with no hope of the relief of medical insurance.

In all, I think it hurts our cause to have Jose Antonio Vargas become a figurehead for the DREAM Act movement.

By the very wording of the legislation, he would not be eligible for the DREAM Act as he is for all intents and purposes a criminal.

Sure, I sympathize with the plight that he found himself in, but, it is no different than the plight of so many in our group.

He made so many wrong choices, and I hope that he is punished accordingly, not celebrated.

I fear that the opposition will use him as a WRONG example of what type of potential people may benefit from the DREAM Act. They will use him against us.

Your wrong... and full of contridication considering your in the same or simliar position yourself.

cool story bro. your holier status is still illegal so booya.

Sorry but that's how the world works. You just can't play goodie two-shoes and make it! A wise man once said the following:

"When life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back! Get mad! I don’t want your damn lemons, what the hell am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life’s manager! Make life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am? I’m the man who’s gonna burn your house down! With the lemons! I’m gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!"

While you choose to coward behind and limit yourself based on your status... he went out there did anything and everything he could to acheive sucess. What he did is illegal... but what you are doing is no better... and whats even worst your letting your potential die because of these laws that don't make sense.... while you keep living in shadows working dead end jobs.... there will be others who will refuse and it makes me happy seeing some sucess despite some many disadvantages

I think Jose Antonio Vargas is very much a dreamer. He came here against his will, learned to love his adoptive country, and faced the circumstance of not having the legality to be in this country.

The thing is, does his story collaborate with how we want to sell ourselves to the American public?

Go watch Durbin's speeches. He is always talking about dreamers as being stagnant because of our lack of status; how our potential is not fully realized. Our only crime was having our parents bring us here illegally. That's suppose to be our only crime.

Vargas did a lot of lying and illegal doings to get ahead. He shows off bad traits that scare Americans. He is not the innocent dreamer that is being kept from realizing potential.

I don't condemn his actions. I do wonder whether his talent will be an example of what dreamers are capable of or whether his lying/illegal doings will end up justifying the negative view of illegal immigrants.

Let's hope so. But I truly fear that he will be used by the opposition to characterize the whole lot of us as lawbreakers.

If you read his article, you'll know he's actually had to go from job to job, due to his fear of being outed. So his full potential still hasn't really been reached.

Rather than argue back and forth about what's already been done, how about contacting some Senators in support of the upcoming hearing? And don't worry about the anti's using him against us. They'll talk shit no matter what, just because he's undocumented.

No. He went out there and achieved his dreams. he won a Pulitzer prize. he should be a posterboy for dream act, he wont be used as a negative poster.