Regina is a widowed teacher's aide raising her teenage nephew, Gabo, in the small New Mexico town of Cabuche. Having immigrated from Mexico years ago and obtained her legal papers, she is proud of her multicultural heritage and values the stability she has built. She supplements her income through constant side businesses, such as baking pecan pies, and remains fiercely protective of her scattered family.

Gabo is Regina's 15-year-old nephew, an academically gifted teenager mourning the tragic loss of his mother to a failed border crossing. With his father currently missing, Gabo finds solace and purpose in religion, deciding he wants to enter the priesthood after high school. He reads voraciously and possesses a gentle, conscientious nature that often clashes with the harsh realities of his gang-influenced school environment.

Rafa is Regina's brother and a seasonal agricultural worker who refuses to abandon his Mexican identity for American assimilation. He prefers to live in Mexico while periodically crossing the border to work, hoping to keep his son Gabo grounded in his Mexican heritage. His latest border crossing relies on coyotes tied to a local cartel, leading to his dangerous disappearance.

Miguel is a history teacher, self-described Chicano activist, and author drafting a dissertation on US interventions in Latin America. He views education as a tool for social justice and actively participates in environmental grassroots organizing. Though he acknowledges his own self-centered tendencies and flirtatious nature, he is genuinely committed to protecting his community and supporting his friends.

El Abuelo Milton is Miguel's grandfather and a lifelong resident of El Paso, Texas. Having spent decades working behind the bar of a local cantina, he possesses a deep understanding of the border town's licit and illicit networks. He functions as a stabilizing elder for his family, offering practical support and surrogate fatherhood to vulnerable youth.

Crucita is Miguel's ex-wife, a woman who shifted toward religious devotion while Miguel embraced political radicalism. She volunteers at a local crisis center for women, keeping her closely connected to the troubling epidemic of missing women in the Juárez region. Despite their divorce, she maintains family dinners with Miguel for the sake of their children.

Jesse is a high school student and associate of the local Los Palominos gang. He befriends Gabo under the guise of camaraderie but readily exploits the boy's desperation to locate his missing father, demanding Gabo's possessions as payment for supposed information.

Tiny Tears, born Maria, is a young woman involved with the Los Palominos gang who struggles academically. Lacking support from her family, she searches for belonging within petty criminal circles, making her vulnerable to the region's broader trafficking networks.

El Toro is a recently paroled foot soldier for the local cartel and a member of Los Palominos. Operating as a low-level enforcer, he manipulates younger gang members and uses intimidation to maintain his status in the borderland's criminal hierarchy.

Father Juan Bosco is the Catholic priest in Cabuche. He acts as a spiritual authority for Gabo, encouraging his pursuit of the priesthood. However, his standing in the community is complicated by his hypocritical personal life and sudden, unexplained absences.

Ximena is Rafa's deceased wife and Gabo's mother. Her tragic death at the hands of organ traffickers during a failed border crossing years ago casts a long shadow over her family, driving Gabo's religious devotion and coloring Regina's fears regarding her missing brother.