Nadira is a ninth-grade student who moved from Bangladesh to the United States when she was seven years old. She lives in New York City with her family on an expired visa. She feels deeply overshadowed by her highly successful older sister and is self-conscious about her weight, often feeling disconnected from the rest of her family. She quietly observes the adults around her while grappling with the daily anxieties of undocumented life.

Aisha is Nadira’s older sister and a straight-A student in high school. She strives for academic excellence, serving as a star of the math team and a skilled debater. She holds high aspirations of attending Harvard Medical School and works diligently to fit in with her American peers by adopting their clothing styles and mannerisms. Her outward success masks a deep, persistent fear of her family's legal status being discovered.

Abba is the patriarch of the Hossain family who originally brought his wife and daughters from Dhaka, Bangladesh, to America. He is a principled, idealistic man who believes in doing the right thing, even when his actions conflict with the harsh realities of US immigration law. He contributes to a community mutual aid fund to save for his daughters' college education.

Ma is the mother of Nadira and Aisha, sharing their undocumented life in New York City. She agreed to an arranged marriage with Abba after he saw her at a fair in Bangladesh. She tries to maintain a sense of normalcy and cultural connection in the household, often referring to traditional foods like polao to comfort her family.

Taslima is Nadira and Aisha’s older cousin who attends Queens College. She actively embraces American culture and vehemently resists her father's suggestions to move back to Bangladesh. Her assimilation into American society frequently causes tension with her more conservative parents.

Tareq is a young Bangladeshi immigrant who dropped out of school and operates on the fringes of society. Known by the nickname "bagh’a," or "tiger," he represents the reckless path some young immigrants take when facing legal obstacles. He openly offers illicit solutions to community members in trouble.

Uncle lives in a shared New York apartment with his wife, his daughter Taslima, and the Hossain family. He holds a deeply pessimistic view of life in America and prefers to stay under the radar to avoid government scrutiny. His skepticism is rooted in traumatic family history from the bloody partition of India.

Auntie is Uncle's wife and Taslima's mother. She manages the household dynamics in the shared Queens apartment and attempts to keep the peace during frequent arguments over immigration laws and cultural assimilation.

Ali-Uncle is a close family friend to the Hossains and a trusted figure in the local Bangladeshi American community. He helps manage a mutual aid fund at the mosque that allows community members to pool their resources. He looks out for the younger generation and warns them away from dangerous influences.

Tim is a white law student currently dating Taslima. His knowledge of the American legal system inadvertently sparks heated debates among the older family members about their undocumented status.

Lily Yee is Nadira’s only trusted friend at school. While Nadira closely guards the secret of her family's immigration status, Lily quietly manages her own painful family realities at home.

Mr. Rashid is an attorney who appears on a local television show. He handles complex legal issues and provides sobering, realistic advice to immigrants navigating the convoluted US legal system.