Readers are the "main character" in Felipe Torres Medina's irreverent debut, America, Let Me In: A Choose Your Immigration Story, a game book for those curious about what legally immigrating to the United States entails. Torres Medina is an immigrant to the U.S. himself, hailing from Bogotá, Colombia. His work has been featured in the New Yorker as well as on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, earning him five Emmy nominations. Deploying his trademark humor to poke fun "at the expense of our ridiculous immigration system," Torres Medina renders the process relatable to readers who may have little understanding of the complex hoops people jump through to come to the U.S.
After selecting from four immigration paths ranging from "easy" to "very hard," readers follow fictional characters through the immigration visa process. Options include a model, a millionaire, an elite athlete, a college student, and a skilled worker. The similarities shared by all visa applicants are the mountains of paperwork and the exorbitant fees.
Despite the tongue-in-cheek approach, America, Let Me In incorporates practical advice about the immigration system and offers a glossary of terms with which some readers may be unfamiliar. Torres Medina is grateful to live in a country that considers itself a "Great Experiment" and has, throughout history, shown a willingness to fix its mistakes. Despite its many problems, he writes, people want to move to the U.S. because the country keeps striving "to be better."
Entertaining and enlightening, America, Let Me In gives readers "the gift of choosing the United States." --Shahina Piyarali