>>> NOW, WE TURN TO THE STORY OF

ONE IMMIGRANT FAMILY'S FIGHT

AGAINST THE GAPING HOLES IN THE

AMERICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM.

ARTIE SHOHANI WAS BORN IN

MOROCCO AND CAME TO QUEENS, NEW

YORK WITH HER FAMILY IN THE

1980s.

AT 16 SHE WAS VISITING HER

FATHER WHO WAS IN NEW YORK'S

INFAMOUS RYKER'S ISLAND PRISON.

HE WAS SERVING TIME FOR A CRIME

THAT SHOHANI SAYS HE WAS

UNWITTINGLY INVOLVED IN.

IN HER NEW MEMBER REMEMBER,

"HERE WE ARE, AMERICAN DREAMS,

AMERICAN NIGHTMARES" SHE COMES

TO TERMS WITH THE 14-YEAR LEGAL

BATTLE THAT HER FAMILY FACED AND

THE RESENTMENT THAT SHE FELT OF

BEING BROUGHT TO AMERICA IN THE

FIRST PLACE AS A CHILD.

SHE SPOKE TO OUR MICHELLE MARTIN

ABOUT HOW THIS ALL SHAPED WHAT

THE AMERICAN DREAM LOOKED LIKE

FROM HER PERSPECTIVE.

THIS CONVERSATION IS PART OF OUR

ONGOING INITIATIVE ABOUT

POVERTY, JOBS AND ECONOMIC

OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA CALLED

CHASING THE DREAM.

>> I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT

FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WE DO

KNOW EACH OTHER.

>> WE DO.

>> WE WORK TOGETHER AT NPR, AND

I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I

REMEMBER, BECAUSE YOU COVERED

SILICON VALLEY, AND I REMEMBER

WHEN YOU SENT AN EMAIL AROUND TO

THE STAFF SAYING THAT YOU WERE

TAKING A SHORT LEAVE OF AN SENSE

BECAUSE WERE YOU GOING TO WRITE

A BOOK ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, IT'S

INTERESTING AND THEN THIS LINE

COMES WHERE YOU SAY ABOUT THE

TIME MY FATHER WAS ARRESTED AND

I WENT WAIT, WHAT?

I'M GUESSING A LOT OF PEOPLE DID

NOT KNOW THAT THAT PART OF YOUR

STORY.

>> RIGHT.

YOU'RE GOING RIGHT TO ONE OF THE

REASONS THAT IT STARTED TO FEEL

SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO WRITE

THIS BOOK.

I JOKE IF YOU HEARD MY VOICE

BEFORE, I'M INDIAN I.T. LADY.

I GIVE YOU THE IMPORTANT NEWS

ABOUT GOOGLE, ABOUT FACEBOOK,

HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

WORKS, THIS INFORMATION CAMPAIGN

DISRUPTING DEMOCRACY, VERY

IMPORTANT STUFF, BUT THERE'S

REAL DISCONNECT BETWEEN MY

PUBLIC VOICE AND WHAT'S ACTUALLY

INSIDE ME, AND IT'S A POINT THAT

DISCONNECT BECAME UNBEARABLE FOR

ME AND I KEPT FEELING LIKE,

GIRL, YOU HAVE A MEGAPHONE AND

YOU CAN TALK TO YOUR ENTIRE

COUNTRY AND YOU'RE NOT SHARING

THE STORY THAT'S THE MOST

IMPORTANT TO YOU WHICH IS YOUR

FAMILY'S JOURNEY.

>> WHY DID YOUR FATHER GET

ARRESTED?

>> MY DAD WAS A SHOPKEEPER.

HE STARTED OUR FAMILY BUSINESS

ON 28th STREET AND BROADWAY IN

MANHATTAN WHICH WAS THE EXACT

SAME BLOCK WHERE EARLIER AS AN

UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT HE

SHOVELED SNOW FOR $4 AN HOUR.

WE HAD GOTTEN OUR PAPERS, AND

THAT PUT US ON THE PATH TOWARDS

HIS AMERICAN DREAM.

MY FATHER WAS A BRILLIANT MAN,

SPOKE SIX LANGUAGES.

HE WAS NOT FORMALLY EDUCATED BUT

LIVED AROUND THE WORLD.

HE STARTS A STORE.

THINGS SEEM TO BE GOING REALLY

WELL.

THINGS ARE GOING SO WELL THAT WE

MOVE FROM QUEENS TO NEW JERSEY

WHICH IS EVERY IMMIGRANT

PARENT'S DREAM, AND ONE DAY WE

GET A CALL THAT MY FATHER HAD

BEEN ARRESTED ARE AND IS AT

RYKER'S ISLAND WHICH IS A REALLY

HORRIBLE JAIL.

>> NOTORIOUS.

>> NOTORIOUS.

VERY VIOLENT IN NEW YORK CITY.

HE'S BEEN ARRESTED ARE, AND

ACCORDING TO NEW YORK STATE HE

HAS SOLD WATCHES AND CALCULATORS

TO THE CALI DRUG CARTEL.

MIND YOU, IN THE 509 As THE

CARTEL WAS THE MOST NOTORIOUS

TRAFFICKING RING IN THE CITY,

HORRIFIC VIOLENCE, DEAD BODIES,

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE CASE --

>> SO THE AUTHORITIES THOUGHT HE

WAS MONEY LAUNDERING, PART OF

THE SCHEME TO HEIGHT ILL-GOTTEN

GAINS.

>> HERE'S THE REALLY INTERESTING

THING ABOUT HOW THE CASE WORKED.

I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THE

EMOTIONAL JOURNEY ABOUT IT AND

THE FACTION OF THE CASE.

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME GOING

INTO COURT, MICHELLE.

MY FATHER AND UNCLE WERE IN A

CASE TOGETHER.

I WAS A KID AND THEY TALKED

ABOUT MY DAD AS A LITTLE

BROTHER.

THEY TALKED ABOUT THEM AS THOUGH

OUR FAMILY BUSINESS WAS JUST A

FRONT FOR A CARTEL.

IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.

I'M DOING WHAT EVERYONE IS

DOING, SELLING WATCHES AND

CALCULATORS TO ANYONE WHO WILL

BUY THEM.

WE HIRED PRIVATE DEFENSE LAWYERS

AND THE PRIVATE DEFENDERS SAID

MR. SHOHANI LISTEN, NO ONE

REALLY THINKS THAT YOU'RE CARTEL

RING LEADERS, BUT THEY STARTED A

CASE AND THEY WANT A CONVICTION

OUT OF THE CASE.

JUST AGREE TO AN EIGHT-MONTH

SENTENCE.

THEY ARE OFFERING YOU EIGHT

MONTHS.

TAKE IT, IT BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T

TAKE IT AND IF BUT GO TO TRIAL,

YOU'LL FACE THE TRIAL PENALTY.

WHAT'S THAT?

OH, IF YOU EXERCISE YOUR

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT AND YOU'RE

CONVICTED YOU'LL FACE A DECADE,

YOU'LL FACE LONGER THAN A DECADE

SO SMALL TIME SHOPKEEPERS, WHAT

COULD YOU WANT, EIGHT MONTHS TO

GET IT OVER WITH OR GAMBLE?

WHILE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE

SYSTEM IS NOT ABOUT INN SENSE

AND GUILT, IT'S ABOUT RISK AND

REWARD, AND SO MY FATHER AND

UNCLE DID STATISTICALLY WHAT

EVERYONE DOES, TAKE THE PLEA, SO

THEY AGREE THE PLEA BARGAIN OF

EIGHT MONTHS EACH.

THEY EACH TOOK THE GUILTY PLEA.

THE PROSECUTOR AGREED TO LET ONE

MAN GO AND THEN THE OTHER MAN.

SERVE SENTENCES --

>> CONSECTISM.

>> SO OUR BUSINESS FRONT

WOULDN'T COLLAPSE.

SO IF WE'RE DRUG TRAFFICKERS AND

THESE MEN MUST GO AWAY WHY ARE

YOU BENDING OVER BACKWARDS SO

ONE COULD STAY OUT?

WE GOT THE POINT.

THE STATE WANTED A CONVICTION.

MY UNCLE GOES IN FIRST.

HE'S SUPPOSED TO DO HIS TIME AND

HE'LL COME OUT AND MY DAD WILL

GO IN.

MATTER SHOULD BE BEHIND US.

THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.

THE EIGHT-MONTH SENTENCES ENDED

UP SPURLG INTO A 14-YEAR LEGAL

BATTLE BECAUSE DEPORTATION BY

THE FEDS CAME IN AS A SECOND

SURPRISE PUNISHMENT.

MY UNCLE DID NOT DO EIGHT MONTHS

BECAUSE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR

BY NEW YORK STATE.

HE DID TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

THE DAY HE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME

HOME TO US, AND WE JUMPED HOOPS

TO GET HIM OUT, THE DAY HE WAS

SUPPOSED TO GO HOME, HE GOES

MISSING.

WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE HE WAS.

THE HOMECOMING BECAME A SEARCH

PARTY.

>> YOUR FAMILY HAD GREEN CARDS

BUT NOT CITIZENS?

>> SOME OF US WERE NATURALIZED

U.S. CITIZENS AND THAT WAS PART

OF THE SURPRISE IS, THAT YOU

KNOW, WE -- WE THOUGHT WE'RE

LEGAL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING

TO TOSS THEM OUT.

IT MADE NO SENSE TO ME, YOU

KNOW, THAT -- THAT TWO MEN WHO

HAD SERVED THEIR TIME WHO WERE

LONG-TERM RESIDENTS AND WHO

ALREADY HAD THEIR PAPERS, AND

WHO HAD FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE

U.S. CITIZENS WOULD BE SUBJECT

TO AUTOMATIC LIFE EXILE BUT THAT

WAS THE LAW AND I NEEDED TO TELL

THAT STORY.

>> I HAVE TO TELL YOU, ONE OF

THE THINGS ABOUT YOUR BOOK THAT

I SO LOVED IS THAT YOU'RE SO

HONEST ABOUT THIS WHOLE RANGE OF

EMOTIONS.

>> YEAH.

>> YOUR RESENTMENT OF HAVING TO

DEAL WITH THIS.

>> YEAH.

>> YOUR RESENTMENT THAT THIS

WHOLE SITUATION REALLY DOMINATED

YOUR TEENAGE YEARS AND YOUR

EARLY ADULT YEARS BECAUSE YOU

DIDN'T JUST LET IT GO.

YOU BASICALLY BECAME -- YOU MAKE

AN IMMIGRATION ACTIVIST.

YOU BECAME KIND OF A JAILHOUSE

LAWYER THAT ISN'T QUITE RIGHT.

>> I'LL TAKE IT.

>> LEGAL DEFENSE.

I MEAN, YOU ORGANIZED YOUR

FATHER'S LEGAL DEFENSE BASICALLY

STARTING WHEN YOU WERE 16 YEARS

OLD.

>> WELL, IT'S INTERESTING

ACTUALLY, AND I WOULD SAY I

STARTED IN EARNEST WHEN I WAS

19.

I REMEMBER THE EXACT TURNING

POINT, BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS

IT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I WHAT IS 16 AND

I VISITED DAD FOR THE FIRST TIME

AT RYKER'S AND I WAS SO ASHAMED

OF HAVING HIM, LIKE HOW COULD

YOU DO THIS TO ME.

I REMEMBER GOING TO VISIT HIM

WITH MY MOM AND MY BROTHER.

GOING TO HUGE OPEN AIR GYM WHERE

YOU HAVE FAMILIES VISITING THEIR

LOVED ONES.

I REMEMBER WALKING AROUND AND --

AND JUST A SLIVER OF THE THOUGHT

THAT I HAD IT WHERE ARE ALL THE

WHITE CRIMINALS?

WHY DON'T I -- NEW YORK DOESN'T

HAVE WHITE CRIMINALS, AND IT'S

NOT THAT THAT THOUGHT DOMINATED.

THE SHAME DOMINATED AT THE TIME.

OVER THE YEARS WHEN THE CASE

DRAGGED ON, WHEN EIGHT MONTHS

SPIRALED INTO HERE'S A SURPRISE

SECOND PUNISHMENT.

WHEN HORRIBLE THINGS WERE

HAPPENING IN THE CASE AND, YOU

KNOW, SORT OF WHAT THEY CALLED

ADMINISTRATIVE ERRORS WERE

CONSTANTLY, YOU KNOW, SCREWING

US OVER, THAT'S SHAME.

THANKFULLY IT SHATTERED AND THEN

INDIGNATION ROSE AND THAT'S WHEN

I GOT INVOLVED IN ADVOCATING FOR

MY FATHER.

>> TALK TO US AGAIN ABOUT THE

SHAPE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF

US DON'T FEEL ABOUT.

WAS IT THE SHAME OF YOUR FATHER

BEING LOCKED UP OR YOU NOT BEING

THE MODEL MINORITY THAT WE HEAR

SO MUCH ABOUT.

>> I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT A

LOT OF US FEEL IN THIS COUNTRY.

MY BOOK IS CALLED HERE WE ARE.

AMERICAN DREAMS AND AMERICAN

CRIMES.

I HAVE LIVED THE AMERICAN DREAM.

YOU GETTON.

WALK INTO ROOMS YOU NEVER

THOUGHT WERE POSSIBLE AND YOU

LEAP IN YOU NEVER THOUGHT WOULD

HAPPEN IN OTHER PLACE.

MY FATHER LIVES A KNIT WEAR.

>> WHY DID YOUR PARENTS COME TO

THIS COUNTRY TO BEGIN WITH?

THIS IS NO EASY THING.

I MEAN, YOU WERE BORN IN

MOROCCO.

I RERM AT ONE POINT IN THE BOOK,

THIS IS YOUR AMERICAN PEOPLE TO

HAVE ROACHES CRAWLING YOU HAVE

YOUR CLUBS.

>> I WOKE UP WITH ROACHES ON MY

SKIN BEFORE.

THAT WAS MY CHILDHOOD.

>> SO WHY DID THEY COME IN.

>> IT'S FUNNY.

AN INVESTIGATIVE ASPECT OF THIS

BOOK, MY MOM SAYING WE CAME FOR

A BETTER LIFE.

>> I WAS FEELING A LOT OF

RESENTNENT.

NOT -- MOM, WE HAD A REALLY

CRAPPY LIFE AND I WAS VERY ANGRY

WHEN I WAS SKPGS HER ABOUT IT

AND SHE MEAL MEAN THE WAY WE

CAME, UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS,

OVERSAY THE VISAS BECAUSE S

BECAUSE SHE WAS TWEELG WITH.

MOM HAD THAT.

NOW IT TURNS OUT THAT MY

GRANDMOTHER WAS A REALLY ABUSIVE

WOMAN.

MY GRANDMA WOULD THROW PLATES AT

MY MOM IF SHE DIDN'T LIKE THE

FOOD THAT WAS PREPARED AND

WOULDN'T ALLOW MY MOM TO OPEN

THE REFRIGERATOR WITHOUT

PERMISSION OR LEAVE THE HOUSE

WITHOUT PERMISSION.

WOULDN'T ALLOW MY PARENTS TO

SLEEP IN THE SAME ROOM, A VERY

EMBARRASSING FACT TO SHARE BUT

MY FATHER'S MOTHER MADE HIM STAY

IN HER MOM AND MADE MY MOM SLEEP

IN THE LIVING ROOM.

MY MOM IS THE MOST RESILIENT

HUMAN BEING I KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WITH MORE

CAPACITY AND APPETITE FOR LIFE

THAN MY MOTHER, AND IT WAS ONLY

IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS

BOOK THAT I LEARNED THAT SHE

ACTUALLY ATTEMPTED TO TAKE HER

LIFE BECAUSE SOMETHING PRETTY

HORRIFIC HAPPENED, AND MY FATHER

FINALLY AGREED, OKAY, LET TAKE

THE KID AND GO, AND THIS IS THE

FUNNY THING ABOUT SO MANY OF OUR

IMMIGRANT STORIES IS CROSSING

THE OCEAN AND LIVING IN AMERICA

IS IN SOME WAYS EASIER TO GO

THAN TRYING TO LIVE ACROSS THE

STREET BECAUSE IF YOU'RE CLOSE

TO YOUR FAMILY YOU IS THERE TO

BE RIGHT THERE HERE'S THE THING,

THAT MY MOTHER HUNGERED FOR

DIGNITY, FOR HERSELF AND HER

DAUGHTERS, SHE WANTED US TO HAVE

A LIFE THAT SHE COULD NOT HAVE.

>> WHAT WAS THE TOLL ON YOU AND

ALSO YOUR MATTER.

>> THERE IS A LOT OF PAIN THAT

I'M RECOUNTING IN THIS BOOK

BUTTING IS I REALS IS WHAT

FUELED MEAL IN MY FIGHTING IS

FIRST OF ALL THE -- THE LAW SAYS

ONE THING AND CULTURE SAYS

ANOTHER AND THAT CULTURE

EMBOLDENEDED ME.

TWO IS I HAVE A SUPER LOVING

FAMILY.

THE THING IS WHEN YOU'RE GOING

THROUGH SUCH UPS AND DOWNS AND

WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH IT

WITH PEOPLE YOU LOVE AND WHO

LOVE YOU, THAT'S A BESS, WE

THINK ABOUT IT.

FOR ME WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE,

LOVE IS THAT PROCESS WHEN YOU

TURN AROUND RATHER THAN AWAY

FROM SOMEONE WHO IS IN PAIN.

WHEN YOU CAN DO THAT, WHAT YOU

CAN BE PIERLESS AND NOT WORRY

THAT THEIR CRISIS WILL HURT

THEIR LIFE.

YOU GET SOME OF THE MOST JOY

FULL EXPERIENCES YOU'VE EVER

HAD.

>> I'VE GOT TO ASK YOU ABOUT

THIS CRAZY SCENE THAT COMES

EARLY IN THE BOOK WHERE YOU

ACTUALLY MEET THE JUDGE WHO

SENTENCED YOUR FATHER.

>> DURING A TRIP TO NEW YORK I

TOOK TRAIN OUT TO QUEENS, I GO

TO HIS CHAMBERS, KNOCK ON DOOR.

HADN'T.

FIRST WORDS OUT OF HIS FEAST

YOUR FATHER AND UNG RL HAVE

NEVER TAKEN THAT GUILTY PLEA.

WHAT A MISTAKE.

AND -- AND.

THE I HAVE TO SAY THAT WOULD BE

REALLY INTERESTING.

TELL ME MORE, JUDGE.

AS A RESULT I FELT LIKE MY SOUL

LEAPT FROM MY BODILY.

>> IT HURT, SO -- AND YOU KNOW,

WHY --

>> WHY SHOULDN'T YOU HAVE TAKEN

THAT PLEA?

>> I THINK THEY HAS SMALL

BUSINESS OWNERS WERE -- THAT

THEY SHOULD BE CONNECTED OF

SING, MUCH LIKE SMALL BUSINESS

OWNERS AND LIFE -- YOU GUYS DID

NOT PLAY YOUR HAND RIGHT.

YOU HAD SO MUCH MORE TO BARRING

AN WITH THAN YOU REALIZED AND

COULD HAVE DONE MUCH BETTER THAN

YOU DID.

YOU JUST FOLDED WAY TOO EARLY.

I DIDN'T ULTIMATELY LEARN THAT

THAT'S WHAT I LEARN THE FIRST

TIME WITH HIM.

HE WAS UTTERLILY INCAPACITATE.

I NODDED WITH HIM.

WANTED TO GET OUT OF HIS OFFICE

AND --.

YOU WERE ABLE TO KEEP HIM IN

THIS COUNTRY AND THEN WHAT.

PART OF WHAT I'M EXPLAINING IN

THIS.

WAS IT.

ULTIMATELY WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP

HIM IN THIS COUNTRY.

IT WAS AT A HUGE EXPERIENCE.

HE'D HAD MULTIPLE HEART ATTACKS.

HE HAD LOST ALL OF HIS TEETH.

HE HAD TO DO MULTIPLE

AMPUTATIONS UNTIL FINALLY THEY

SAWED OFF HIS LEG.

HE WAS IN A REALLY DEEP

DEPRESSION.

YOU KNOW, I HAD A SITUATION

WHERE I HAD LIFE BEYOND.

IT WAS MY FIRST RODEO BUT IT

WASN'T HIS FIRST RODEO SO I CAN

REFLECT BACK ON THIS AND THINK,

WOW, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE CHAPTER

IN LIFE.

AMAZING LEADERSHIP TRAINING ARE.

FOR DAD IT WAS DESTRUCTION.

THE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU

DEDRIVE YOUR, WHEN YOUR

COMMUNITY HASN'T REJECTED ARE

YOU AND PEOPLE WON'T RETURN YOUR

CALLS AND THAT'S HOW MY FATHER

LIVED.

HE WAS A GOOD MAN.

HE WAS ABLE TO ULTIMATELY STAY

HERE, BUT I'M REFLECTING ON THE

COST OF IT.

I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE TITLE,

"AMERICAN DREAMS, AMERICAN

NIGHTMARES."

WHAT ARE YOUR REFLECTIONS NOW

ABOUT THE AMERICAN DREAM, AND

WHAT IS THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE

IF YOU COULD SUM IT UP?

KOSS THE AMERICAN DREAM STILL

CLIFF.

MY WIFE IS -- MY FATHER AND HAD

TO START OVER EACH OTHER HE CAME

INTO A NEW PLACE.

YOU WERE ON THE LOW END

GLOBALIZATION AND DAD HAD TO PAY

THE PRICE EACH AND EVERY TIME

ESPECIALLY IN THE COUNTRY.

HE TOLD ME ONCE HE VISITED IN

RYKER'S.

HE SAID I'VE NEVER SEEP

SOMETHING AS BAD AS THIS.

IT WAS THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE

SYSTEM.

WE HAVE A MASS INCARCERATION

SYSTEM AND NOW HAVE A MASS

DEPORTATION SYSTEM THAT I'VE

WRITTEN ABOUT THAT BUILDS OFF OF

THAT SYSTEM IT.

THAT'S THE NIGHTMARE IN THIS

COUNTRY, A CANCER IN THIS

COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE TO GET

PAST.

WE HAVE TO DECONSTRUCT AND BUILD

A BETTER SYSTEM.

THE DREAM IS THAT AMOUNT TO AND

MOST OF THE WORLD.

VERY CALCIFIED SOCIAL STRUCTURES

KEEP YOU THERE.

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED TO MY

MOTHER'S HUSBAND, SHE BECAME MY

FATHER'S NURSE BECAUSE HE HAD

FALLEN SO ILL IN THE PROCESS OF

THIS.

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED TO HER

FATHER, WE HAD TO AM TATE A LEG,

HE WAS LITERALLY DECAYING AS

THIS WAS GOING ON.

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED, BE

GRATEFUL FOR THE LIFE THAT YOU

HAVE HERE BECAUSE IT'S BETTER

THAN ANYTHING YOU WOULD HAVE HAD

BACK THERE.

TRUST ME, I KNOW.