Summary

In Chapter 14, Peralta focuses on the increasing role his immigration status played in his life and university career. He describes how Princeton administration arranged for a free consultation with a prominent immigration lawyer, Stephen Yale-Loehr (Steve), and how he felt a degree of guilt that other undocumented immigrants did not have the same resources or support. That guilt, he says, was eased by the realization that he was working to get papers and security for his mother as much for himself. An initial attempt to gain status failed; later, however, Steve came up with a plan that he and Peralta put into action, a plan that involved gaining a large number of commentaries and letters of support from friends, family, and politicians, including then-Senator Hillary Clinton.

As that plan was being developed and put into place, Peralta says, he kept busy...