El Centroamericano

Without documents I came all the way to Chicago
And soon I found a job
Those Sundays I strolled by the lake
I always carry it in my heart

But one afternoon leaving work
Without warning, the curse fell on us
All my dreams went to hell
And in the raid, immigration caught me

Where were you born? The immigration officers asked us
In Zacatecas, in Jalisco, Michoacán
I'm from Durango where the scorpions are
I'm a 'chilango' from the heart of Pantitlán

At the border, our companions told us
Let's take advantage of the opportunity
Sorry, guys, for now, I'll stay here
I have relatives and I want to visit them

Now that I'm on Mexican territory
I must be careful even with how I speak
If they realize I'm Central American
They'll deport me from Mexico too

From Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica
El Salvador, Nicaragua, or Panama
We have to forget about our homeland
We have to pretend we're not from there

While we cross the border again
You'll hear us speak 'quihubo mano'
So we pay the smuggler even less
And this time I ended up in San Francisco

And although all my friends are from Mexico
I pass as one of them
Even though I like 'norteñas' and corridos
I can't forget about Central America

God willing, the day is very close
When I can legalize my situation
To shout that I'm Central American
And never deny my homeland