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CONTENTSTITLE PAGEDEDICATIONMAPPROLOGUE1. THE BOY LEFT BEHIND2. SEEKING MERCY3. FACING THE BEAST4. GIFTS AND FAITH5. ON THE BORDERPHOTO INSERTS6. A DARK RIVER, PERHAPS A NEW LIFE7. THE GIRL LEFT BEHINDAFTERWORD: WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND THE IMMIGRATION DEBATEEPILOGUENOTESACKNOWLEDGMENTSABOUT THE AUTHORPRAISE FOR ENRIQUE S JOURNEYCOPYRIGHTTo my husband, BillPROLOGUEIt is Friday morning, 8 I hear a key turn in the front-door lock of my Los Angeles home. Mar adel Carmen Ferrez, who cleans my house every other week, opens the door. She walks into is petite, intelligent, and works at lightning speed. At this early hour I am usually in afrenzy to get out the door and rush to my office. But on days when Carmen arrives, she and I shiftgears. Carmen loiters in the kitchen, tidying things. I circle around her, picking up shoes, newspapers,socks trying to give her a fighting chance at cleaning the floors. The ritual allows us to be in thesame room and this morning in 1997, I lean on one side of the kitchen island.

PROLOGUE It is Friday morning, 8 A.M.I hear a key turn in the front-door lock of my Los Angeles home. María del Carmen Ferrez, who cleans my house every other week, opens the door.