The Statue of Liberty has long stood as a promise that this country is a place of refuge, dignity, and new beginnings. For generations of immigrants, she has symbolized safety, possibility, and the belief that a human life could be rebuilt on more just ground.
In this image, her familiar form appears alongside the words Abolish ICE, confronting the distance between that promise and the lived reality of those who arrive seeking protection but instead encounter detention, separation, and refusal.
Within the language of papel picado, the statue becomes both memorial and question: what does liberty mean when the door is closed?
The image holds space for that contradiction between the nation’s symbol of welcome and the experiences of those who are denied it.
The Pursuit of Happiness
For the clearest detail and strongest finished piece, I recommend using cardstock and a cutting machine. Cardstock provides the stability needed to hold the fine lines and structure of the design. You can download the image directly from this site or access the full set on the Cricut website under the What Remains Collection. These templates are free to use for personal and community projects, but they may not be sold or used for commercial purposes.
To download the PNG file, click on the image to the left, open a new page and right click to save on to your computer. Alternately, you can visit the collection page on the Cricut website for all the files here.