In late 1980s Chicago, Nick Hayden, a rookie INS field agent, is eager to make his mark in the unit responsible for picking up illegal immigrants around the city. Hayden excels, whether he s raiding factories or busting Colombian drug dealers. Seen as a rising star by supervisors, over time the green, idealistic Hayden evolves into what one veteran agent terms a gladiator, an agent willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done. But Hayden s real reason for joining INS the mysterious death of an agent thirteen years earlier remains a closely guarded secret, even as he reluctantly begins a discreet inquiry to uncover the truth.
Hayden s world changes dramatically when he recruits Miguel Chavez, a humble Mexican illegal immigrant, to be an informant to help take down Salvador Rico, the ruthless kingpin of Chicago s counterfeit document trade. Nick faces challenges during the investigation that profoundly alter his career and personal priorities as the story builds to a deadly confrontation.
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