She reaches Los Angeles in 1989 as the local economy sours and outcry against illegal immigrants like themselves swells. A Sandinista supporter who fought for a new life in Nicaragua, she is nonplussed by everyday violence in the U.S. Worries about the children, difficulty finding work, and the threat of deportation darken her dreams of a safe haven. Dianne Walta Hart, her unofficial American sponsor, weaves together Yamileth's words with commentary pointing up inevitable culture clashes. This is a rough-edged, authentic look at the marginal lives led by many illegal immigrants who live among us.

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