Nayeli is a nineteen-year-old martial artist and soccer player living in the Mexican village of Tres Camarones. She notices her town is entirely devoid of working-age men, leaving the community vulnerable to local bandidos. Inspired by a classic Hollywood film, she devises a bold plan to travel to the United States to recruit seven men to act as protectors for her village. She steps into a leadership position for her traveling group, pushing them forward when they encounter danger.

Tacho operates The Fallen Hand taco shop, a restaurant named to mock the derogatory stereotypes aimed at him as a gay man. He maintains a sarcastic, hardened exterior to deflect the homophobia present in rural Mexico. He travels north with Nayeli to find men for their village, bringing his sharp observational skills and deep loyalty to the group.

Aunt Irma, locally known as La Osa, is the newly elected Municipal President of Tres Camarones. She is a former women's bowling champion who aggressively promotes physical fitness and female empowerment. She bankrolls the teenagers' mission to the United States, hiding a past heartbreak behind her domineering political persona.

Atomiko proclaims himself the King of the Dump, living among the refuse in Tijuana. He adopts a highly theatrical warrior persona, speaking in dramatic declarations and assuming martial arts stances. He leverages his actual fighting capability to protect Nayeli's group from thieves, becoming their fiercely loyal bodyguard for the border crossing.

Yolo is a teenage girl from Tres Camarones who heavily consumes American pop culture. She joins Nayeli's mission to cross the border, envisioning a glamorous adventure based on movies and music videos. The harsh reality of border crossings and violence quickly shatters her naive expectations, requiring her friends to frequently comfort her.

Vampi is the only Goth girl in Tres Camarones. She dresses exclusively in dark clothing and listens to heavy metal bands. Despite her gloomy aesthetic, she is incredibly sheltered and reacts to the violence of the outside world with wide-eyed panic. She travels north with Nayeli and seeks romance along the way.

Matt is an American who previously performed missionary work in Tres Camarones, leaving behind his contact information and a laptop. Back in San Diego, he struggles with deep personal depression while managing his family's dilapidated home. He provides essential shelter and transportation for the travelers when they arrive in California.

Chava Chavarin is an older Mexican immigrant living a quiet life in California and working at a bowling alley. In his youth, he was a vibrant, handsome ladies' man and a bowling champion in Tres Camarones. Deep shame over a past mistake prevents him from returning to his hometown, until Nayeli's group tracks him down.

Nayeli's mother is a resident of Tres Camarones who carries a deep sense of defeat following her husband's departure. She contrasts sharply with her sister Irma's aggressive optimism, viewing life purely in terms of survival. She reluctantly accepts training to run the town's movie theater projector to earn an income.

Nayeli's father is a former police officer who previously represented law and order in Tres Camarones. He left the village to find work in the United States, settling in Kankakee, Illinois. His departure leaves his family financially struggling and serves as a major emotional catalyst for Nayeli's trip north.

Garcia-Garcia is the wealthiest man in Tres Camarones, owning the local movie theater and holding significant financial influence. Despite his status, he frequently yields to Aunt Irma's aggressive demands. He later falls victim to the town's encroaching bandidos, proving that money alone cannot protect the community.

Don Porfirio is an older man who lives in the squalid Tijuana garbage dump with his wife. Despite his bleak surroundings, he maintains a remarkably cheerful disposition and insists that life is good. He cultivates lines of colorful roses in the trash, offering the young travelers a brief moment of grace and unexpected hospitality.

Dona Araceli is the wife of Don Porfirio, living alongside him in the Tijuana garbage dump. She extends mercy to the stranded, frightened youths, offering them a place to sleep and sharing what little food they have.

Wino is an experienced smuggler who operates near the Tijuana border. He treats his illegal crossings casually, offering the nervous teenagers a cheerful tour of the local checkpoints. He later coordinates their access to a secret underground tunnel disguised as a muffler shop.

Arnie is a black Border Patrol officer who detains Nayeli and her friends. He views his repetitive job with a sense of bored amusement, finding Nayeli's story about recruiting warriors highly entertaining. He occasionally breaks protocol to offer small kindnesses, like sharing food from a vending machine.

Rigoberto is a wealthy, middle-aged man living in a luxurious home. He takes pity on Tacho following a violent deportation, offering him a place to clean up and recover. Recognizing Tacho's physical resemblance to his own absent partner, he devises a clever plan to transport Tacho back into California.

El Brujo is an undocumented immigrant working at a San Diego pancake house. He harbors dreams of becoming a famous heavy metal musician but has accepted the practical reality of working in food service. He bonds instantly with Vampi over their shared musical tastes and agrees to join the mission to Mexico.

Angel is a former member of the Mexican Navy currently working as an undocumented fruit picker in California. Chava Chavarin recommends him as an ideal recruit for Tres Camarones due to his military background. He initially displays the subservient attitude common among the camp workers but quickly joins Nayeli in fighting off local thugs.

Mary Jo is an American librarian who notices Nayeli struggling to figure out her next steps in Illinois. She immediately offers assistance, using her community connections to help the young traveler locate a specific address. She ensures the teenagers secure bus tickets to safely leave the state.

Sully is an aggressive American who actively seeks out and harasses undocumented workers in California. He views his intimidation tactics as a defense of his community's standards. He and his friend later attack the Mexican workers at a migrant camp, sparking a chaotic brawl.

Jimbo operates as Sully's primary accomplice in harassing the local migrant population. He follows his friend to a makeshift camp to intimidate the workers, participating in the violence until the travelers from Tres Camarones violently push back.

Chuy is the driver of the long-distance bus that transports the teenagers on the first leg of their trip. He provides grim warnings about the corrupt customs officials operating within Mexico. He abandons the group completely when the vehicle suffers a mechanical failure.

Candelaria is a pregnant woman attempting to cross into the United States. She manages to slip through a hole in the border fence alongside Atomiko and the girls, representing the quiet desperation of many migrants seeking passage.

May Johnston is Missionary Matt's mother, residing in a dilapidated house on Clairemont Street in San Diego. Her passing forces Matt to return to the rundown property, inadvertently providing an empty house where he can shelter the travelers from Mexico.

Carla is Missionary Matt's neighbor in San Diego. She spends time at Matt's house, smoking marijuana and observing the unusual arrival of the Tres Camarones group with casual indifference.