Every Day We Get More Illegal

Every Day We Get More Illegal is a collection of poems by Juan Felipe Herrera, the 21st U.S. Poet Laureate. The book was published in 2020 and contains works written during Herrera's travels along the U.S.-Mexico border. The poems document stories of migrants, border communities, and displaced families through multiple perspectives and voices. Herrera employs both Spanish and English language throughout the collection, moving between personal narratives and broader social commentary. The collection captures experiences of immigration, cultural identity, and human rights through verse that ranges from narrative to experimental forms. The work draws from Herrera's background as the son of migrant farmworkers and his decades of activism. Through these poems, Herrera examines the complex relationships between policy, humanity, and the concept of borders in contemporary America. The collection raises questions about belonging, justice, and the meaning of citizenship in an increasingly divided world.

Readers connect with Herrera's raw emotional perspective on immigration and social justice. Multiple reviews highlight his ability to capture both personal stories and broader political themes through poetry. Likes: - Vivid imagery and sensory details - Bilingual elements that enhance authenticity - Strong voice for immigrant experiences - Accessible poetry style for casual readers Dislikes: - Some poems feel fragmented or hard to follow - Political messages can overshadow poetic craft - A few readers note repetitive themes - Spanish passages create barriers for non-Spanish speakers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (156 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (22 ratings) One reader on Goodreads notes: "The poems hit hard with their portrayal of border experiences." An Amazon reviewer writes: "Herrera gives voice to stories that need to be heard, though the experimental style isn't for everyone." SPD Books readers rate it highly for its "unflinching look at immigration policy" while noting it requires close reading to fully appreciate.

The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande This memoir chronicles a Mexican family's immigration story through poverty, separation, and eventual crossing into the United States.

Borderlands/La Frontera by Gloria Anzaldúa The collection weaves poetry and prose to document life in the Mexican-Texas borderlands through personal narratives and cultural observation.

The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea This non-fiction account follows a group of Mexican migrants attempting to cross the Arizona desert and illuminates the broader immigration crisis.

Citizen Illegal by José Olivarez These poems explore Mexican-American identity, family relationships, and the complexities of citizenship status in contemporary America.

Unaccompanied by Javier Zamora The poetry collection traces a nine-year-old's journey from El Salvador to the United States and the aftermath of displacement.

🌟 Juan Felipe Herrera served as the first Mexican-American U.S. Poet Laureate (2015-2017) 📚 The book's title poem was inspired by conversations with migrant workers in San Diego and reflects real stories of border crossings and family separations 🎨 Many poems in the collection were written in response to specific events, including the 2019 El Paso shooting and the detention of children at the U.S.-Mexico border ✍️ Herrera composed several poems in the collection while traveling on buses and trains, capturing the rhythm and movement of migration in his writing style 🗣️ The book incorporates both Spanish and English languages, reflecting the author's bilingual heritage and the linguistic reality of many immigrants in America