From the sight of a police officer this movie depicts the life in New York's infamous South Bronx. In the center is "Fort Apache", as the officers call their police station, which really seems like an outpost in enemy's country. The story follows officer Murphy, who seems to be a tuff cynic, but in truth he's a moralist with a sense for justice.

February, 1978. Roberto and Aurelia are Cuban exiles living in New York City with their 17-year-old daughter. For ten years Roberto's been the super of an apartment building, firing up the boiler, repairing windows, and moving bags of garbage. He's homesick for Cuba, stuck in repetitive conversations about the Bay of Pigs, Castro, and life back home. After receiving some tragic news, Robert makes up his mind to quit the city and move to Miami.

Businessman Carlos meets Ana María in a Mexico City nightclub. He escorts her home, and makes a date for the next day. Ana María is actually a prostitute whose pimp, Arturo, thinks Carlos would be a good client, and urges her to be nice to him. They fall in love, and Carlos proposes marriage to her, indicating he must return to Puerto Rico soon.

A realistic look at the plight of the Mariel Boat People, the so-called "undesirables" who were shipped off to America by Cuba's Fidel Castro in 1980. Ramon is among these people, and suffers the resentment of the longtime Cuban residents of Miami.