Marisela is an illegal immigrant whose parents brought her over the border into the US (for the second time) when she was 7. Her parents work very hard, mostly cleaning at night. She is an intelligent, animated person who manages to graduate from college while holding a job and clubbing. Marisela identifies with other people of color and is incensed by the unfairness towards Mexican immigrants and people of color. She dreams about going to law school but decides not to in the end. She becomes involved in politics and works for a community activist organization, even without papers. She goes through many boyfriends but ultimately has a baby and marries Julio, a labor organizer she knew in high school. 

Like Marisela, Yadira does not have documents and entered the US illegally as a child. Her father left the family when she was young, and she has a stepfather who also later breaks up with her mother. She is a serious, reserved person who rarely shows emotion, and she has some conflicts with Marisela because their styles are very different. She attends the University of Denver with Marisela and Clara. Over time, her mother, Alma, must return to Mexico after she is arrested for having stolen another person’s ID to work.