Immigration continues to spark intense and emotional political debates between people who favor expansive immigration policies and those who want more restrictions.

But what is often left out of the conversation is the experience of being in the middle space — between being legal and illegal. All this week Tell Me More will focus on those in that position (or who is related to someone who is) in a series titled “In Limbo.”

“In Limbo” begins with the story of Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa. His life is like a classic rags-to-riches tale scripted for a Hollywood film. He grew up in the small village of Palaco, Mexico. As a bright young man, he wanted to become a teacher. But he had to overcome many obstacles first, including hunger.

“I am not talking about hungry for success; I was literally hungry for food. My stomach was empty,” he says.

Quiñones-Hinojosa was determined to put food on the table for his family, so he did the only thing he could possibly think of: literally jumped over a fence between his native Mexico and the United States and became a farm worker in Southern California.

Read the full story at NPR

Listen below for an interview with Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa