Living Quietly: Fear, Immigration, and One Voice in Tennessee
In the state of Tennessee there are more than 473,000 foreign-born residents, followed by 150,000 others who are without legal status in the United States. The numbers in this population represent a significant and deeply rooted part of the state’s workforce and community yet remain especially vulnerable to sudden shifts in immigration enforcement and feelings of overall safety for all inhabitants and citizens.
On January 16th of 2026, I spoke with one undocumented individual among the estimated 150,000 undocumented immigrants living in Tennessee. For the first time, he chose to speak publicly about his personal experiences with events such as these, the fears generated within his family and community, and what he believes may be anticipated in the future.
In 2006, Diego was 20 years old when he crossed the Mexican-American border on foot. Travelling solo, it took him about a week to arrive in Texas from his small pueblo in Oaxaca, Mexico, and about 36 days to arrive in Tennessee, where he would soon meet his brother for a job. It took him years to save up for the trip, paying about 200,000 pesos (11,500 USD) to a Coyote, a hired escort that would take anyone across the border on foot, which would soon help him cross Rio Bravo and the Sonoran Desert. The day he left for the journey was the last time he ever saw his family.
Diego’s journey was extremely difficult and strenuous, claiming that words alone could never fully grasp how mentally and physically overwhelming it had been during the time. However, regardless of all of his challenges, he claimed that the journey was worth it. “I could never go about it all any other way. If I hadn’t taken that chance for myself I would have never made as much progress with my life as I have now. Back home, people only limited themselves to what they had and weren’t able to go beyond that. My education, for example, was proof of that. I never even went to high school, and all I ever wanted to do was continue my studies. I really wanted to learn calculus.”
Being in a completely new environment wasn’t terrifying for him. Diego was ready to expand his knowledge and finally have the chance to learn something new and beneficial to his growth as a young adult. Though there were multiple barriers to his education. More importantly, the art of the English language. “I’m a fast learner. But I found out very quickly that I couldn’t learn by simply studying at home with books and using apps to help me refine my language: I had to experience it. It wasn’t as much learning it as it was actually trying to have other people understand you that made it extremely difficult. It was almost humiliating. I knew I was smarter than what I sounded, but people always judged my intelligence based on how well I knew their language. Sometimes, if I tried to strike a conversation, I would be shot down with ‘You don’t belong here’ and that ‘I should go back to Mexico,’ followed by empty threats of having ICE called on me. It took years of feeling embarrassed for me to finally make sense to people.”
Furthermore, contrary to common belief, Diego claimed that coming to America without any documentation was the most effective way for him to open up new opportunities in his life without any increasing fears and troubles. “Most people in my life ask me the same question. ‘Why didn’t you cross the legal way?’ If I had, there’s a good chance that I wouldn’t have met any of them in this lifetime. The process takes years, and not everyone has the privilege of successfully benefiting from it. People try and try to do it the right way only to be given a chance rather than a guarantee to live and belong here, and I simply didn’t have the time to wait around for somebody to dictate my presence as non-threatening. My family was extremely poor and needed money, and I just couldn’t earn any the way they were paying us back in my pueblo. Regardless, my experience was limited so I was working minimum wage jobs the moment I arrived here. But it was ten times more than what I would have ever earned there. I had to take initiative for the sake of my future. I see how my friends struggle constantly with lawyers and the state in order to stay here with their families. And they’re good people. Once the government knows you’re here, it’s almost impossible to get off of their radar because one way or another, they will somehow find a way to make you leave, even if all you do is work and abide by the laws. It’s unfortunate that nowadays, all it takes is the color of your skin and your accent.”
Though Diego thought living quietly as an undocumented immigrant was a better alternative, it doesn’t excuse the fear and consequences that might come with not having “permission” to live here in the United States. Though he claims that his fears have drastically shifted over time. “There was a time when even the mention of ICE kept me from leaving my home. I knew that I couldn’t risk being careless because I had a wife and two kids. Back then, things weren’t as bad as they are now but social media continued to add on anxiety and it prevented me from living in peace for a while. So one day, I simply decided to turn off my phone and pay no mind to what people would say online about the kind of person they thought I was. Now, a majority of my fears are gone. My kids are all grown up and I have accomplished so much in my life as a father, husband, and a working man. There’s always going to be more for me to do in this country but if one day my luck decides to run out, I would be satisfied with what I left behind. But I want to continue to fight for my place in this country and spend more days with my family. I want to live my life happily and continue to meet new people and carry out new experiences. I currently still live a little concerned with the increase in ICE presence but I refuse to let it consume my life anymore than it already has.”
Diego claimed that he was most inclined to speak up about his experiences because of events that have occurred within the past year. On May 9th of 2025, over 103 people were unexpectedly detained in Nashville by the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) in coordination with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and taken to facilities where they were later deported. Later that day, THP reported making 588 traffic stops and stated that enforcement operations in the Nashville area would continue. For several days throughout the remainder of May, traffic stops continued. The detentions occurred without prior notice to local officials.
He had mentioned that within the time that he had lived in Tennessee, nothing had ever felt more personal than the events that took place that day. Seeing first-hand how people were being taken off of the streets, he knew that from now on he had to be more aware of his safety.
“You never know when you’ll be at the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s why I might argue that sometimes I can’t help but be scared again. Online, we are labeled as ‘illegal aliens’ and ‘criminals’ that are dangers to American citizens yet nobody ever thinks to consider that maybe we might be the ones in danger? I could never think of myself as an alien or a criminal. I am a human being with a human family that wants to live a normal, human life. We all come from the same blood, skin, and bones and do not deserve to be treated as a different species under such a dehumanizing label. We are good people and consist of some of the hardest workers in society and it disappoints me to have to think about the people that were taken while on their way home or to work.”
Having one final reflection on the state of the future, he finds it difficult to have a positive outlook. “I wish I could be more optimistic but lately I can’t seem to find many reasons why I should. It has gotten to the point where we’ve started to lose lives and our empathy.” With the political situation becoming extremely fragile, it is difficult to find ways to feel safe, plan, or trust that life’s conditions will improve before it is too late. “However, we cannot expect things to simply work out on their own. We have to find it within ourselves to put aside our worries and stand firm. We have families that we need to fight for but we need to continue to handle ourselves with honor. We cannot prove the other side right.”
Diego made it clear that he wants to be a voice for others in his community. As he currently works toward launching his own business, he welcomes conversations about his experiences as an immigrant and encourages others to remain open to new perspectives. He hopes that by sharing his viewpoint, he can break down misconceptions and remind people that behind every stereotype is a human being with dreams and resilience. For Diego, his story is a testament to the strength it takes to move forward and the difference one voice can make in simply inspiring.
