Born In Laredo Lyrics

You look at me
And I see what you see:
Someone who comes to your country and takes all your jobs
Who's living here illegally.
Did I float on a raft?
Cross the Rio Grande?
Or hide under cardboard and hay in an old flatbed truck to steal into your land?
You look at me
And you think I run dope.
A killer, my gang's name carved into my arm
Just a monster unworthy of hope

Or you look at me
And think "he's not too bright,
Let him cut grass, bus dishes, shine shoes at the mall;
Clean the stalls at the Greyhound at night"
You wish that I'd never come
From the country I'm from

But I'm born in Laredo
My sister was born in Fort Worth
Born in Laredo
American by birth
I went to school
And I dreamed of a home and a car
And I'm born in Laredo
Every inch of the Texan you are

I look at you and I see a brick wall
Someone who's made up her mind based on just what he sees
And I see he sees nothing at all
'Cause I look at you
Do you know what I see?
Someone who comes from a family that sailed long ago in search of a new life like me.

Did they come here alone?
Were they viewed with alarm?
Did they work to the bone for their family,
Dreaming of land and a small working farm?
If they came here today, I would pray for their soul
And hope they'd run fast for they'd never get past
The volunteer border patrol
My parents, they slept on the floor
And they'd hope I'd have more

And I'm born in Laredo
Where I learned how to fight my own fights
Raised in Laredo
Beer and hot dogs and Friday Night Lights
My grandfather came
Made a raft from the hood of a car
But I'm born in Laredo
Every inch of the Texan you are

We came to this country
Like you came to this country
And I'm born in Laredo
Every inch of the Texan you are

[Thanks to queenbutttouches for adding these lyrics]