Content Warning: The source material depicts Islamophobia, ethnic stereotyping, and family separation in the context of the US immigration system; it also references sectarian violence and colonialism. 

The Hossain family is traveling from New York to the Canadian border in Vermont in a bid for asylum. In the family car, Nadira’s mother (“Ma”) and father (“Abba) sit in the front; Nadira and her older sister, Aisha, sit in the back. As they pass through Boston, Aisha begins to cry, mourning the loss of her dream to attend Harvard Medical School.

Originating from Dhaka in Bangladesh, the family arrived in America when Nadira was just seven, settling in New York on expired visas. Reflecting on their arrival, Nadira recalls, “Even then we were afraid because we knew we were going to stay past the date on the little blue stamp of the tourist visa in our passports. Everyone does it” (7). In the car, Nadira wrestles with the feeling of living in her older sister’s shadow, as Aisha is a straight-A student.

The Hossains’ lives have become increasingly challenging since 9/11. The enactment of the Patriot Act, heightened security measures, and the implementation of special registration processes exacerbated their already precarious situation.