Lauren Markham Books

"Ernesto and Raúl Flores are identical twins, used to being mistaken for each other. As seventeen-year-olds living in rural El Salvador, they are used to thinking that the United States is just a far-off dream. When Ernesto ends up on the wrong side of MS-13, one of El Salvador's brutal gangs, he flees the country for his own safety. Raúl, fearing that he will be mistaken for his brother, follows close behind. Running from one danger to the next, the Flores twins make the harrowing journey north, only to fall into the hands of immigration authorities. When they finally make it to the custody of their older brother in Oakland, California, the difficulties don't end. While navigating a new school in a new language, struggling to pay off their mounting coyote debt, and anxiously waiting for their day in immigration court, Raúl and Ernesto are also trying to lead normal teenage lives. With only each other for support, they begin the process of carving out a life for themselves, one full of hope and possibility." -- Amazon.com

Exploring the complex relationship between historical migration narratives and contemporary attitudes towards migrants, the book delves into how past valorization influences present exclusion and demonization. Lauren Markham's firsthand account from Greece, amidst the burning of a refugee camp, reveals the multifaceted struggles faced by migrants and the societal myths that shape perceptions of them. Through a blend of reporting, history, and personal reflection, it highlights the predictive power of migration stories in understanding our current realities and future implications.