I didn’t set out to make an argument. I set out to find a kid. Not just any kid, but an undocumented teenager, living in New York City. I envisioned meeting a young person, living in the shadows, avoiding ICE agents, but also trying to have a normal American childhood. I spent months searching for a family who would be motivated (and, quite frankly, brave enough) to let me tell their kid’s story. The plan was to do this as an illustrated report — not as a one-off piece, but as a monthly series — a living record of a tumultuous moment in America. That was the seed of our Times Opinion series “Separation.” Eventually, I found Mateo, a 17-year-old from Honduras, standing right on the threshold of adulthood. That line mattered. Once he crossed it, if he were picked up by ICE, he wouldn’t be treated as a child. He could be sent to an adult detention center. I began to see this as a coming-of-age story, rendered in graphic form. Last summer, I started shadowing Mateo. I followed him as he went to school, church, meetings with his lawyer and back home for meals with his family. Mateo also kept a diary, which he shared with me, and which became the basis for our visual narrative. To create the visuals, I teamed up with the illustrator Michael Sloan. (We had worked together previously and won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018.) “Separation” has appeared in Times Opinion and — to be sure — there is a point of view here. A voice. It is Mateo’s. And it is our hope that somewhere in the chorus of arguments about immigration, there is room for what he has to say. We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Games Here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you’re in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com. If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times.
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