One of three illustrations for a special report by the Vera Institute of Justice, highlighting ICE’s deadly practice of unsafely releasing people with serious medical and mental health conditions from detention without care.

The report demonstrates that there is no consistent policy for the release of people who the government has deemed unable to advocate for themselves from immigration detention due to a serious mental health condition. This detention and unsafe release has endangered immigrants and is especially cruel given that they have been determined by the government to be unable to represent themselves, and are often incapable of advocating for their own needs. Despite their obvious health needs and medical complications, many people were released by being literally abandoned on the street.

This illo was created to represent and humanize this diverse group of vulnerable immigrants.