Much has been written In English about the experiences and treatment of immigrants from south of the Rio Grande once they have entered the United States. But this account by the itinerant effervescent and highly original journalist Belamp233eacuten Fernamp225aacutendez offers a different and wholly original take.amp160Belamp233n Fernamp225ndezamp160shows us what life is like for wouldbe migrants not just from the Mexican side of the border but inside Siglo XXI the notorious migrant detention center in the south of the country.amp10Journalists are prohibited from entering Siglo XXI Fernamp225ndezamp160only gained access because she herself was detained as a result of faulty paperwork when she attempted to return to the US to renew her passport. Once inside the facility Fernamp225ndezamp160was able to speak with detained women from Honduras Cuba Haiti Bangladesh and beyond. Their stories detailing the hardships that prompted them to leave their homes and the dangers they have experienced on an oftentortuous journey north form the core of this unique book. The companionship and support they offer to Fernamp225ndez whose antipathy to returning to the United States the country they are desperate to enter is a source of bemusement and perplexity demonstrates a spirited generosity that is deeply moving.amp10In the end the Siglo XXI center emerges as a strikingly precise metaphor for a 21st century in which poor people effectively imprisoned by American political and economic policies nevertheless display astonishing resilience.