For now, Garman carries his life in a black zipper-binder. Everything from records of his immunizations and report cards from grade school to copies of various applications he's filed to try to gain some status. There are also tattered notes he's written to himself, along with business cards and hand-jotted phone numbers for attorneys and congressmen.

For eight years, he's been drifting. Living with friends, following jobs from California to Oregon to Oklahoma to Utah.

For now, he's living with a married couple, who asked not to be identified because his felony record prevents them from adding him to the lease.

His roommate, who met Garman at a barbecue, admits that when she first saw Garman, "he was kinda scary looking."

But after learning his story and discovering his personality — and cooking skills — she quickly became a friend.

"I love him to death," she said. "He's like my angel ... I can't wait to see what he's going to be when he gets that (birth registration)."

Garman did not realize he wasn't a citizen until 1999, when he unsuccessfully attempted to obtain a Social Security number so he could get a job as a condition of his parole. He's been trying to prove he's a citizen ever since.

"You get your hopes up so bad," Garman sighed. "You found this, you found that ... everything's been denied. ... The ups and downs, I get my hopes up so much."

If you're wondering how someone can end up in this predicament, flash back to 1979. That's when a baby sitter turned a 4-year-old boy over to authorities, saying his mother had not returned for him after four days.

At that point Garman, whose birth name was apparently Raul Lopez, was placed in protective custody. A few days later, his mother, Raquel Lopez, reappeared, according to his adoption records. She wanted to reclaim her son, and it looked like she was taking steps in that direction. However, after a visit to her son at a foster home, Raquel wasn't seen or heard from again.

Then, in 1983, Garman was adopted by Josephine and J.R. Garman. Tijuana, Mexico, was listed as his birthplace on a delayed registration of birth. He automatically became a legal permanent resident, but his adoptive parents — both now deceased — apparently never petitioned for his citizenship.

Rhonda Walton, a former caseworker with Merced County Human Services, has helped Garman with applications through the State Department, with the former Immigration and Naturalization Services and with members of Congress.

She points to the uncertainty of Garman's records, saying, "Our files had two different birth dates, and one had to be picked." And, she says, it was never verified that Raquel Lopez was actually Garman's mother.

"None of that's ever been established," she said. "We've never found a record of his birth. ... There really is no original birth certificate."