Character Relationship Map: Crossing Over

Characters

• Max Brogan (played by Harrison Ford) — protagonist

  An ICE/HSI Special Agent who handles immigration cases and investigates a murder near the border. He cares for Mireya Sanchez's son after her deportation, later tells her parents of her death, and unc...

• Cole Frankel (played by Ray Liotta) — protagonist

  An immigration examiner who becomes involved with Claire Shepard after discovering that she is in the country illegally. He demands sex in exchange for a green card, later develops feelings for her, a...

• Claire Shepard (played by Alice Eve) — supporting

  An aspiring actress from Australia who is living in the United States illegally. After an accident brings her into contact with Cole Frankel, she agrees to have sex with him for a green card, but late...

• Denise Frankel (played by Ashley Judd) — supporting

  An immigration defense attorney and Cole Frankel's wife. She advises Taslima Jahangir's family about a possible separation strategy to avoid broader deportation, while her own family is affected by Co...

• Zahra Baraheri (played by Melody Zara) — supporting

  A member of the Baraheri family who has a sexual relationship with a married man, despite her family's disapproval. Her brother Farid reacts violently and kills her and her partner, while another brot...

• Gavin Kossef (played by Jim Sturgess) — supporting

  Claire Shepard's boyfriend, an atheist Jewish musician from the United Kingdom. To obtain work at a Jewish school and remain in the United States, he pretends to be religious, performs an imperfect re...

• Mireya Sanchez (played by Alice Braga) — supporting

  An immigrant woman who is deported, leaving her son in Max Brogan's care. She is later found dead near the border, prompting Brogan to return to her parents in Mexico and deliver the news. Her fate il...

• Hamid Baraheri (played by Cliff Curtis) — supporting

  An ICE colleague of Max Brogan whose family crisis draws him into serious crimes. After his brother kills Zahra Baraheri and her partner, Hamid helps hide the evidence. He later kills other robbers bu...

• Taslima Jahangir (played by Summer Bishil) — supporting

  A 15-year-old immigrant from Bangladesh who presents a school paper urging understanding of the September 11 attackers. Authorities search her home and scrutinize her online activity, but do not charg...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Max Brogan → Taslima Jahangir (Power Federal Investigator) — Max belongs to the enforcement world surrounding cases like Taslima's, although the plot does not state that he personally questions her.

  Federal authorities investigate Taslima after her school paper is reported, raid her home, and examine her writings and online activity.

• Hamid Baraheri → Zahra Baraheri (Family Brother) — Their sibling bond becomes entangled with violence and concealment.

  The plot explicitly states that Zahra is Hamid's sister.

• Gavin Kossef → Cole Frankel (Professional Immigration Applicant) — Gavin's ability to remain in the United States is evaluated by Cole's professional system.

  Gavin reports to an immigration office, where the immigration examiner tests his knowledge of Judaism.

• Claire Shepard → Gavin Kossef (Romantic Boyfriend) — Claire's relationship with Gavin overlaps with her coercive arrangement with Cole.

  The plot explicitly identifies Gavin Kossef as Claire's boyfriend.

• Cole Frankel → Claire Shepard (Romantic Sexual Arrangement) — Their relationship is transactional and coercive rather than mutual.

  Cole arranges for Claire to have regular sex with him for two months in exchange for a green card.

• Denise Frankel → Cole Frankel (Family Wife) — Their marriage is strained by Cole's corruption and affair.

  The plot identifies Cole as Denise's husband when Cole considers leaving his wife for Claire.

• Denise Frankel → Taslima Jahangir (Professional Immigration Attorney) — Denise advises Taslima's family on avoiding the deportation of everyone involved.

  Denise Frankel is identified as an immigration defense attorney who proposes a solution for Taslima's immigration status.

• Max Brogan → Hamid Baraheri (Professional Colleague) — They work within the same immigration enforcement environment.

  The plot explicitly states that Brogan has a colleague named Hamid Baraheri.

• Max Brogan → Mireya Sanchez (Professional Immigration Case Officer) — Max handles Mireya's deportation and later investigates the consequences of her death.

  Max Brogan is identified as an ICE / HSI Special Agent who deports Mireya Sanchez.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Max Brogan → Zahra Baraheri (Narrative Murder Investigator) — Zahra's death becomes the central criminal case in Max's storyline.

  Brogan investigates the murder of Zahra Baraheri and her boyfriend.

Story Analysis

Interwoven immigration cases expose how legal status, institutional power, family loyalty, and moral compromise shape people's lives.

Plot Progression

1. Deportation And Consequences — Max Brogan deports Mireya Sanchez but then takes responsibility for her son. Mireya's death near the border forces Max to return to her family with devastating news.
2. Suspicion And Family Risk — Taslima's controversial school paper triggers a federal search and exposes her illegal immigration status. Denise Frankel tries to find a solution that protects Taslima's younger siblings.
3. The Corrupt Bargain — Cole Frankel exploits Claire Shepard's illegal status by trading immigration assistance for sex. His desire for Claire and her later confession bring the arrangement under official scrutiny.
4. Violence Beneath Loyalty — Zahra Baraheri's forbidden relationship provokes violence, and Hamid helps conceal the evidence afterward. His guilt also shapes his decision during a convenience store robbery.
5. Evidence And Reckoning — Max investigates Zahra's murder and discovers Hamid's role in the cover-up. He gives the evidence to the LAPD, leading to Hamid's arrest while the film's immigration cases reach uneasy conclusions.