American Dirt

Someone gropes Soledad’s breast while she waits in the food line. The only candidates are three men deep in conversation, making Soledad wonder if she imagined it. After dinner, Lydia, Luca, and the sisters watch television. Others join them to say the rosary for the restoration of Elmer’s health. Luca thinks about his grandmother as he holds her rosary and counts out the prayers.

Eager to distance themselves from Lorenzo, Lydia, Luca, and the sisters leave the shelter early the next morning. Soledad and Rebeca are nervous about the next leg of the trip, which takes them through Sinaloa, a place known for disappearing girls and for its particularly active cartel. Despite the dangers, the group moves north along the tracks. They board the train easily. Soledad calls it expertise, while Lydia sees it as a form of apathy.

Lydia fears Lorenzo, even though she left him behind in Guadalajara. She is distressed by how easily the sicario found them, and that he did so entirely by chance. She knows Javier has thrown his considerable resources into looking for her and Luca. The train approaches a large migrant camp comprising two dozen men, but it is moving too quickly for them to board. The only man who attempts the jump gets sucked under the wheels of the train. Lydia tells Luca the man will be fine, but the boy knows better. Soledad and Rebeca invite Lydia to cross the border with them and their coyote, El Chacal, who comes highly recommended by César. Immigration trucks speed toward the train. Lydia and Luca are Mexican nationals and cannot be deported, but they fear corrupt agents will hand them over to Javier.

Immigration officials in paramilitary gear pursue the migrants on three trucks. The raid takes place in the middle of a field, making it easy for the agents to spot the fleeing migrants. The migrants run knowing that getting caught means being sent back to their country of origin or falling into the hands of criminals. An agent on a bullhorn urges them to cooperate. Some migrants obey, but Lydia, Luca, and the sisters keep running.

Luca relives the trauma of the massacre. Lydia stumbles. Luca thinks she has been shot, but she has merely twisted an ankle. The agents round up the migrants and make them wait by the side of the road. Two of the three trucks leave. The remaining agents handcuff the migrants and confiscate their belongings. A migrant is beaten after complaining when an agent steals his money. Lydia tries to distract Luca by identifying shapes in the clouds. Soledad suffers a longer pat-down than the others before being forced onto the truck’s lowered tailgate. Rebeca joins her after being groped. Two unmarked vans arrive. Lydia recalls previous mass disappearances while all the migrants, save the sisters, are loaded into the vans. Lydia claims to be the girls’ mother, but an agent slams the door in her face.

Lydia worries the agents will discover who she is and hand her over to the cartel. Luca asks about Soledad and Rebeca before arriving at a large warehouse controlled by men in civilian garb. Several hours later, the truck carrying Soledad and Rebeca arrives. It is clear the girls were sexually assaulted. Despite Lydia’s warning not to draw attention, Luca catches Soledad’s eye. She is defiant, while her sister seems broken.

Several migrants identify themselves as Mexican citizens, including Lydia. The commander quizzes a man to determine whether he is lying before shooting him in the head. He repeats his question. Lydia is the only one who speaks up. She recites facts about her home state. Luca interrupts with historical and demographic information, impressing the commander. Lydia and Luca follow him into an office where he pockets money from her wallet. The commander explains that most migrants are criminals, but that those who can pay the toll, or who have family members who will pay for them, will be released. He tells Lydia and Luca they are free to go, but Luca cannot bear to leave Soledad and Rebeca behind. He confronts the commander, earning the man’s respect. The price for releasing the sisters is 75 thousand pesos each, all the money Lydia has left. She agrees to pay.