When tragedy strikes Carmen’s nine-years-old daughter, Carla, Carmen is forced to make the dangerous and illegal journey to New York City where she could earn enough money to support her ailing daughter back in Bolivia. When, after six years, congress proposes 'amnesty' legislation allowing Carmen and Carla to be reunited again, Carmen must choose between staying and fighting for the American dream, or be home as promised for Carla's quinceañera. Told through an intimate cinema-verite narrative, her unforgettable story is woven into the current immigration debate in the United States, putting a human face on this timely and controversial issue.