In the Country We Love: My Family Divided

The plight of the undocumented is a running theme throughout Guerrero’s book. Her parents’ precarious status funnels them into menial jobs, which they do for low pay. Their poverty forces them to move every time their landlord raises the rent. They live in dilapidated, sometimes violent neighborhoods with poorly performing public schools. These schools are filled with children who are as disadvantaged as Guerrero. Undocumented immigrants live in constant fear of deportation, which leads to mental health issues, in addition to straining relationships. Because they fear the authorities, they tend not to report crimes happening in their midst. They are preyed upon by unscrupulous employers and con artists, like the fake lawyer who makes off with Papi’s life’s savings. Arrest means being handcuffed and sent to a detention center to await trial.

The immigration system, however, does not provide court-appointed counsel to immigrants facing deportation, and many are too poor to afford lawyers. The conditions at some centers are subpar. For example, Papi is sent to a prison that does not provide toothpaste. Deportation breaks up families, leading to grief and anxiety. For Guerrero, it meant growing up without her parents from the age of 14. Life for deportees is equally challenging, with many returning to the poverty and violence they sought to escape in the first place.