Around noon, Jagoan found himself alone in a bustling Sterling restaurant nestled within the heart of Chinatown. He savored each bite of his meal, the flavors of home bringing a semblance of comfort to his day. But as he ate, the tranquility was shattered by the sudden arrival of two Immigration Bureau police cars. Their flashing lights silently screamed trouble.

Jagoan kept his head down, seemingly indifferent to the commotion unfolding outside the restaurant’s window.

Several police officers rushed in with haste, snapping photos of the patrons. Abruptly, they approached Jagoan, their voices raised in unison, “Are you Jagoan, the one who smuggled into the United States from Malaysia?”

Jagoan raised his head, feigning innocence as he shook it, “No.”

The officers reviewed the photo again and shared a knowing sneer. One of them turned to his colleagues, whispering, “That’s him, let’s take him in!”

Before Jagoan could react, they pounced, twisting his arms behind his back and handcuffing him.

He pretended to resist for a moment, but when the threat of a drawn weapon loomed, he wisely ceased struggling.

The officers bundled him into one of their cars, sirens blaring as they raced toward the immigration office.

At this juncture, the officers were ignorant of Jagoan’s background. All they knew was that their superiors had tipped them off about a Malaysian illegal immigrant suspected of multiple thefts lurking in a Chinatown eatery, instructing them to seize the opportunity and apprehend him.

Once at the immigration office, they confiscated Jagoan’s Malaysian passport, a decrepit old mobile phone, and a little over two hundred dollars in cash. Verification of his passport’s identity information confirmed his status as an illegal immigrant from Malaysia.

Jagoan was temporarily confined in the immigration office’s detention room, awaiting his uncertain fate.

Upon arrival, Jagoan found himself surrounded by at least twenty others who shared the same predicament. These detainees spanned various skin tones, their expressions marked by despair and fear.

Spotting Jagoan, an Asian man with a scruffy beard approached him, struggling with his English accent as he asked, “Are you Japanese?”

Jagoan shook his head, replying, “I’m Malaysian, but my parents are Chinese.”

Another Asian-faced man with short hair perked up upon hearing this. He exclaimed, “Brother, I’m Chinese too! We share common roots!”

nodded and inquired, “How did you

on my journey here. I arrived with nothing, set up a makeshift tent in the park, only for it to

to New York instead

man slapped his thigh, exclaiming, “You know your stuff, Brother! You didn’t come

his head, revealing, “I

short-haired man’s enthusiasm dwindled, and he sighed, “You had it easier. A few months on a boat from your hometown – not like us, enduring a grueling journey. I’ve been through hell, it’s as if I’d have to skin myself alive

no picnic. Imagine standing the whole time, sometimes having to swim for kilometers. Over sixty of us boarded, but only half made

This place isn’t a paradise, it’s a purgatory. The swindler agent told me I could make seven

After arriving from Mexico, a bunch of us made our way to Los Angeles, only to realize those high-paying jobs were a lie. I spent over ten days sleeping on the streets, surviving on meager handouts. Then

did you make it from the west coast to

“I took a train, of course. It’s a long haul, so we followed a few seasoned hobos, the ones who ride trains all day long. We trailed them to New York, and our hands

work in Chinatown, settled on a job delivering food for a Chinese

smile, inquiring, “What’s your plan

sighed, “Who knows? It’s not worth being locked up for what I’ve done. American prisons are overcrowded. Petty crimes by illegal immigrants often result in mere days behind bars. After release, I assumed they’d deport me, but

a way, maybe

and funds. The Americans won’t deport me, and retracing my steps is impossible. This trip cost over

shrugged, offering, “Then focus on saving money

for this journey. Along the way, I indulged

but chuckle, asking, “What

food delivery, odd jobs, even a bit of extra work in films –

shunned were available to them. Hogan had been a financial luminary back in Hong Kong, but in the United States, he eked out a living running a roast goose

speaking from the heart. If I could, I’d return… This place is nothing like

midst of this, several more illegal immigrants were escorted in by the police and placed into a detention room. Among them was a yellow-skinned officer who fixed his gaze on

piped up, “Hey,

greetings with

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255