Seventh grader Efrén is a kind and diligent boy. He was born in the US after both of his parents emigrated from Mexico. He lives in southern California about two hours from the city of San Diego, which is near the Mexican border and a large city just across the border, Tijuana. Efrén lives in a small studio apartment with his parents, whom he calls Amá and Apá, and his two kindergarten-aged twin siblings, Max and Mia. His neighborhood mostly contains Hispanic families. His old elementary school is “just a sprint” from the Nava apartment, and Efrén’s middle school is a few blocks away. Efrén’s best friend is David Warren, whom he met in elementary school and who lives on his block.

Efrén loves reading and usually spends the 15-minute nutrition break he gets each morning in the school library. At home, he likes to find some privacy in the bathtub for reading, as he has no room nor bed of his own but shares a mattress on the floor with the twins. He is an excellent student, as evidenced by his history of never missing homework assignments. When ICE deports Amá, and caring for the twins becomes Efrén’s primary responsibility, he misses a homework assignment right away, signifying that his life is greatly changed as a result of circumstances he cannot control.