This reminds me of reoccurring themes in Jose Vargas's Dear AmericaItalic**, the idea that despite how long one resides in a country, no matter how dedicated or committed one is, one can never truly belong.

However, the end of the sentence has thrown me off. What is the author's definition of perennial immigrant?

The definition of perennial immigrant, from my understanding, is an immigrant who has always been in a certain place.