--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was an illegal alien for many, many…" description: "\"I was an illegal alien for many, many years. I couldn't move. If I moved I could not even get a visa back.\" — Ai Weiwei" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/ai-weiwei-824_aliens_i-was-an-illegal-alien-for-many-many-yea_1819402.png" --- # I was an illegal alien for many, many years. I couldn't… ![“I was an illegal alien for many, many years. I couldn't move. If I moved I could not even get a visa back.” quote by Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/ai-weiwei-824_aliens_i-was-an-illegal-alien-for-many-many-yea_1819402.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/ai-weiwei-824_aliens_i-was-an-illegal-alien-for-many-many-yea_1819402.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/ai-weiwei-824_aliens_i-was-an-illegal-alien-for-many-many-yea_1819402.png) > “I was an illegal alien for many, many years. I couldn't move. If I moved I could not even get a visa back.” [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living as an undocumented immigrant imposes severe mobility restrictions and visa challenges. **In simple terms:** Undocumented status limits movement and visas. Key Takeaway Advocate for immigrant rights. Themes immigration legal status mobility human rights restriction Mood somber hopeful Type political activist When to use this quote - legal assistance - community organizing - policy reform Key Concepts asylum law policy advocacy social justice Questions to Reflect On - What reforms could ease visa access? - How does legal status affect daily life? A Different Perspective Legal pathways are limited and complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens/) [Couldn Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-moved-2180291/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal/) [Illegal Alien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal-alien-472333/) [Illegal aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal-aliens/) [Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moved/) [Moved Visa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moved-visa-2180292/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Visa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visa/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Couldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-couldn-504526/) ## Related quotes > [U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz accused Republicans of trying to make it a crime to be an illegal alien. Democrats see a conspiracy plot. First…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/argus-hamilton/u-s-rep-debbie-wasserman-schultz-accused-republicans-of-trying-to/) [Argus Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/argus-hamilton/) > [When the Labor Department is forced to relent and let these visitors do this work it is of course all legal. But it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/when-the-labor-department-is-forced-to-relent-and-let-these-visitors/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Even Hollywood millionaires are now clamoring for legal protections for their illegal-alien nannies and gardeners, though such elites would hardly countenance a similar legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/even-hollywood-millionaires-are-now-clamoring-for-legal-protections/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [As an American citizen, I'm not asking for any special treatment - the only thing I ask and want is to be treated just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-carr/as-an-american-citizen-i-m-not-asking-for-any-special-treatment-the/) [Howie Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-carr/) > [My policy will be to detain and deport every illegal alien who is apprehended in this country. And we'll do it with an expedited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/my-policy-will-be-to-detain-and-deport-every-illegal-alien-who-is/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [There's been so much talk in the news lately about illegal aliens in the workplace. When was the last time an illegal alien stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/there-s-been-so-much-talk-in-the-news-lately-about-illegal-aliens-in/) [Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/) > [What is it with conservatives? Seriously, I'm not trying to be partisan but it seems like if they're anti-illegal alien, they have illegal aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-is-it-with-conservatives-seriously-i-m-not-trying-to-be-partisan/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I'm an illegal alien and have been for many years. If you rub my skin, I go green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-forlani/i-m-an-illegal-alien-and-have-been-for-many-years-if-you-rub-my-skin/) [Claire Forlani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-forlani/) > [“The one thing I had learned in my sixteen years was that you couldn't count on anyone to stick around. Opening yourself up only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-norris/the-one-thing-i-had-learned-in-my-sixteen-years-was-that-you-couldn-t/) [Shana Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-norris/) > [In fact when Sweet Honey was ten years old it was too big for me to run, and I knew it, but I ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-johnson-reagon/in-fact-when-sweet-honey-was-ten-years-old-it-was-too-big-for-me-to/) [Bernice Johnson Reagon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernice-johnson-reagon/) > [I remember my father telling me that just like Troy, he could get me in with the water department where he worked in New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-remember-my-father-telling-me-that-just-like-troy-he-could-get-me/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [It seemed to Scobie that life was immeasurably long. Couldn’t the test of man have been carried out in fewer years? Couldn’t we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/it-seemed-to-scobie-that-life-was-immeasurably-long-couldn-t-the-test/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [After 'Bhaji On The Beach', I didn't make a movie for six years. I couldn't get a movie off the ground for love nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurinder-chadha/after-bhaji-on-the-beach-i-didn-t-make-a-movie-for-six-years-i-couldn/) [Gurinder Chadha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurinder-chadha/) > [ If somebody told me back in 1980 that I would have a 32-year career, and that I'd be \[elected into the Hall of Fame\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mccarver/if-somebody-told-me-back-in-1980-that-i-would-have-a-32-year-career/) [Tim McCarver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-mccarver/) > [“If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn't rub out even half the "Fuck you" signs in the world. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/if-you-had-a-million-years-to-do-it-in-you-couldn-t-rub-out-even-half/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) ## More by Ai Weiwei > [I'm totally independent. I don't bear any responsibility to any system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-m-totally-independent-i-don-t-bear-any-responsibility-to-any-system/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [If my art has nothing to do with people's pain and sorrow, what is 'art' for?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/if-my-art-has-nothing-to-do-with-people-s-pain-and-sorrow-what-is-art/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [China has a rich history that has spanned millennia. It consists of the histories of many nations and regions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/china-has-a-rich-history-that-has-spanned-millennia-it-consists-of/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [This world should be much more open and should be much more free, so the young people would have the chance to exercise the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/this-world-should-be-much-more-open-and-should-be-much-more-free-so/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [By participating in the society we live in, we understand our conditions and the way we relate to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/by-participating-in-the-society-we-live-in-we-understand-our/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I see the Beijing National Stadium as an architectural project. I accepted Herzog and De Meuron's invitation to collaborate on the design, and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-see-the-beijing-national-stadium-as-an-architectural-project-i/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [ I curated this show \[Shanghai Biennale \], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-curated-this-show-shanghai-biennale-i-was-by-no-means-trying-to/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I think we cannot have a double standard. We cannot see our art as different from the reality. We cannot use two different sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-think-we-cannot-have-a-double-standard-we-cannot-see-our-art-as/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [It doesn't matter where I am - China will stay in me. I don't know how far I can still walk on this road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/it-doesn-t-matter-where-i-am-china-will-stay-in-me-i-don-t-know-how/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Chinese citizens have never had the right to really express their opinions; in the constitution it says you can, but in the real world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/chinese-citizens-have-never-had-the-right-to-really-express-their/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Your own acts tell the world who you are and what kind of society you think it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/your-own-acts-tell-the-world-who-you-are-and-what-kind-of-society-you/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Our lives are bound by physical limits, familial ties, political conditions, and geographical restrictions. Individual freedom takes us beyond them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/our-lives-are-bound-by-physical-limits-familial-ties-political/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Now I've come to such a mixed culture: America, Europe, South America, Africa. And the politics are changing everywhere all the time and becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/now-i-ve-come-to-such-a-mixed-culture-america-europe-south-america/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I don't think it's worth discussing new directions in the context of Chinese art - there were no old directions, either. Chinese art has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-don-t-think-it-s-worth-discussing-new-directions-in-the-context-of/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) [Explore all 359 Ai Weiwei quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) ## More Aliens quotes > [My days – the blossom of my youth and the flower of my manhood – have been darkened by the dreariness of servitude. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/my-days-the-blossom-of-my-youth-and-the-flower-of-my-manhood-have/) [Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/) > [Ay-firmative,' Eve said, and tried for a smile. 'Sorry. An Aliens reference always makes me feel better at times like this. Exept I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/ay-firmative-eve-said-and-tried-for-a-smile-sorry-an-aliens-reference/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) [Chaz Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-brenchley/) > [Emma was a shocking driver, simultaneously sloppy and petrified, and for the first fifty miles had been absent-mindedly driving with her spectacles on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/emma-was-a-shocking-driver-simultaneously-sloppy-and-petrified-and/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [If you're going to immerse yourself in a project for three years, why not stake out a chunk of the world that is completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/if-you-re-going-to-immerse-yourself-in-a-project-for-three-years-why/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [I'm not a fan of any genre but am a fan of movies that are intelligent and/or funny. That goes across all genres: a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-a-fan-of-any-genre-but-am-a-fan-of-movies-that-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The respect for human rights, essential if we are to use technology wisely, is not something alien that must be grafted onto science. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/the-respect-for-human-rights-essential-if-we-are-to-use-technology/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) [Twe Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twe-stephens/) > [Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/robin-williams-was-an-airman-a-doctor-a-genie-a-nanny-a-president-a/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Evangelicals are distraught over the state of America because they have not been taught that we're aliens here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/evangelicals-are-distraught-over-the-state-of-america-because-they/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Even the Supreme Court, back when it used to makes sense, the Supreme Court has never ruled that a baby born to illegal aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/even-the-supreme-court-back-when-it-used-to-makes-sense-the-supreme/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Browse all 1,329 Aliens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was an illegal alien for many, many years. I couldn't move. 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