Jose Antonio Vargas

This is Jose. He’s a Filipino. He went to USA at the age of 12. He is known for his coverage of HIV, the Virginia Tech shootings, and the influence that politics and the Internet have on each other. He was a Pulitzer Prize winner staff for the coverage of the Virginia Tech shooting. He is a documentary film maker. He profiled Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

He’ also an “Undocumented Immigrant”, an “Illegal Alien”, a “TNT” which in Filipino means “Tago Ng Tago” or “always in hiding”. He got fake identity cards. Fake driver’s license and he cannot travel beyond the contiguous United States. He’s a disgrace, so do we think.

Jose braved everything he’d achieved in the U.S. on his revelation on an article at the New York Times. He caused consternation from his former peers and bosses. He caused a stir among the blogger community. Practically, Jose destroyed himself with his revelation. But in the end, he made the definition of what is to be an American blurred.

He is a cheat. He is an impostor. He duped a lot of people who trusted him.


He knows it so he revealed all. He does not want to live a life in hiding. He had gone to humble himself and destroy a credible and respected reputation that he has by his own hands made. He is what all you may accuse him. But in the end he is brave enough to confess it all. For this, he is much more than an American. He’s an American Icon.

Here’s a YouTube commentary about him.

Perhaps Mr. Vargas MAY Be deported back to the Philippines and will not be eligible to go back to the U.S. after 10 long years and apply for citizenship, perhaps he will be detained. But then he knew it was coming and that's what makes him a homegrown American, right?

To Mr. Vargas, I salute you for your courage. And God will surely bless you.