COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WGN) — A Venezuelan man who’d been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement was reunited with his brother on Friday after being granted a temporary release with supervision so he could donate a kidney in hopes of saving his sibling’s life.
José Gregorio González was released from an ICE facility in Broadview and will be under supervision for a year to continue helping his brother, José Alfredo Pacheco, who has end-stage renal disease. González had served as his brother’s caregiver since coming to the United States a year ago and was detained by ICE on March 3 at Pacheco’s Cicero home after accompanying him to a kidney dialysis appointment.
With upcoming appointments at the University of Illinois Medical Center already made to learn about the next steps in the kidney transplant process, immigration rights activists, community members and elected officials, including Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin and U.S. Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García, successfully rallied for Gonzalez’s temporary release. An ICE spokesperson said Friday that González was given “a temporary stay on humanitarian grounds.”
“It was time to let José be free so that he could save a life,” Rep. García said at a Friday morning press event.
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González said one of the first things he wanted to do was call his mother so that she could see him and Pacheco together again. Both brothers said they were very grateful for the support they’ve received and were happy to be reunited.
“I didn’t think I’d be here,” González said in Spanish. “It’s been something unforgettable.”
Those representing González say he doesn’t have a criminal record in Venezuela or in the US. Advocates with The Resurrection Project said he is willing to return to the South American country after the life-saving operation.
According to attorney Peter Meinecke, Pacheco came to the United States in 2022 and applied for asylum, which is still pending. He learned of his kidney disease a year later and has been receiving four-hour dialysis treatments three days a week.
If he were to leave the country, Pacheco’s application for asylum would be void, his attorney said.
González came to the US after learning of his brother’s diagnosis to help him through treatment but was initially denied entry at the southern border. He was ultimately allowed to travel to the Chicago area under immigration supervision, and ICE has been aware of his movements since his arrival, his attorney said.
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“He was picked up because he does have a removal order in his case. He was given a removal order because when he initially entered, he entered with the primary intention of donating his kidney to his brother and therefore was not able to establish a credible fear of return to Venezuela, which is one of the conditions for entering removal proceedings and being permitted to present a defense against deportation with an immigration judge,” Meinecke explained.
According to advocates with The Resurrection Project, even if González is ultimately not an exact match for his brother, he will still be able to donate his kidney to save someone else. As part of the kidney swap program, another person’s family member or close friend could donate a kidney in return, saving two lives in the process.
Meinecke said González can apply for a work permit while out of custody, but ICE could after a year detain him again.
