When I was an illegal immigrant in the United States….

… I got work authorization in 5 months, a Green Card 2 years later, and an offer of citizenship three years after that.

I think it’s because I’m white and speak English.

Francisca Lino, who is living in sanctuary at Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago, stands with her husband, Diego Lino, and their 3-month-old grandson, Diego Leon, during a news conference on July 8, 2019. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

I wrote this line on a Facebook post a few years ago, and it prompted over 100 responses, more than I have ever received posting on anything. The comments ranged from the curious to the supportive to the threatening. It was hilarious.

One of the first comments was basically, “White privilege much?”

I responded that my illegal immigration story was the very definition of “White Privilege.” To get legal status in the United States required that I get a lawyer, which cost me thousands of dollars, money that I had, so spending it to make sure that everything went without a hitch was worth it at twice the price. It was as if the term “White Privilege” was invented to describe my experience.