when were you an undocumented immigrant? >> i came here at the age of 9 with my parents and my brother and sister. we were here on a visa and overstayed. >> as so many people do. >> as so many people do. we were actually here without any documents and had to go back to the dominican republic to get our green cards. had we not gotten our green cards, we would have been stuck there. >> what was your life like during that time? >> i was a young boy but i remember my grandparents talking to us about being careful where we went, not approaching any strangers and it sent a chilling effect to anybody who doesn't have any documents. how do you move around? how do you go to school? how do you go to a store? you move around the neighborhood. it sends a chilling effect to anybody who doesn't have any papers, these kinds of actions are occurring now. >> because you do sort of live in the shadows? >> that's true. there's no question about that.