Sanctuary of the South (SOS), Amnesty International USA and ACLU of Florida have filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) demanding urgent medical intervention for Andriy Shepitsen, a 46-year-old Ukrainian man detained at the Krome North Service Processing Center since December 2025.
Shepitsen, who has diagnosed severe bipolar disorder, major depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has been denied critical psychiatric treatment and medication since he was initially taken into ICE custody. He has reported suicidal ideation to facility staff on multiple occasions. On February 10, 2026, he began a hunger strike to protest the conditions of his detention and to demand his release. He has not eaten since.
Shepitsen’s immigration proceedings have been marked by procedural failures. SOS submitted a request for humanitarian parole months ago, which has been ignored. His first Master Calendar Hearing was missed entirely after guards failed to transport him to court, necessitating a reschedule. His bond was denied in January 2026, despite evidence showing he was not a danger to society or a flight risk, and documenting his acute medical needs and ICE’s inability to meet them. A competency hearing that had been scheduled for March 4th — a rare window of hope — was postponed until April 17.
Over the course of his strike, Shepitsen has lost 46 pounds and his blood pressure is dangerously low. He is no longer able to walk on his own, and his mental health continues to deteriorate as he is denied critical treatment. Advocates have repeatedly pleaded with facility guards to transport him to a hospital for emergency medical evaluation. Those requests have been denied. Guards have even refused to provide him with salt to add to his water for basic electrolyte support. His condition is now critical.
Katie Blankenship, founding partner of Sanctuary of the South, urged DHS to ensure Andriy has emergency medical intervention and is released from detention, where his basic needs cannot be met. “We believe this situation is critical and Andriy’s life is at risk. We fear he cannot survive until that date without immediate medical care. This is why we are submitting this complaint – we are out of options and running out of time.”
Sanctuary of the South, Amnesty International USA, and ACLU of Florida are demanding that ICE and DHS provide Shepitsen with the emergency medical and psychiatric care he requires — including his prescribed medications and release him to the care of his family while he awaits his hearing.
“Denying a detained person access to essential medical care is a violation of human rights,” said Amy Fischer, Amnesty International USA’s Director for Refugee and Migrant Rights. “This case follows a deeply troubling pattern of mistreatment and abuse in ICE custody, where people are too often left to suffer instead of receiving the care they urgently need.”
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