Rafael Vela Gonzalez, a 66-year-old originally from El Salvador who had lived in the U.S. since he was a teenager, was detained by ICE agents outside his Silver Lake home in early January after they dragged him down the street and handcuffed him. He had served as the full-time caretaker for his elderly partner of more than 30 years, Vivian Lee Arguello, an 81-year-old U.S. citizen with mobility issues. After nearly eight months in the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, his health has sharply declined; he developed a mysterious rash with oozing sores, swollen feet, and was hospitalized for acute bronchitis and sepsis after collapsing in his cell. His attorney says he had a temporary green card from a 1986 amnesty program that expired, and he was detained after applying to replace a lost card. His bond request was denied in July, and his appeal is pending; his partner fears he could die in detention.