Organ donor for ailing brother to be temporarily released from immigration detention

Venezuelan Man Released from Immigration Detention to Donate Kidney to Brother

A Venezuelan national, apprehended by immigration authorities last month before he could donate an organ to his ill brother, has been granted release from custody, according to a Chicago-based nonprofit organization representing the family. The case highlights the intersection of immigration, organ donation, and humanitarian concerns.

Immigration Detention and Release

José Gregorio González, held at the Clay County Detention Center in Indiana, was expected to be released as early as Friday, confirmed an advocate and spokesperson for The Resurrection Project on Thursday.

The nonprofit had been advocating for the brothers within the Chicago community, organizing a vigil on Monday evening to advocate for González’s release on humanitarian parole.

“Victory for Humanity”

“This signifies a triumph for humanity and compassion,” stated Eréndira Rendón, chief program officer for The Resurrection Project. “ICE will temporarily release José Gregorio González, enabling him to save his brother’s life through a kidney donation.”

Rendón praised the decision, noting it “acknowledges that our fundamental human rights supersede immigration status.”

“We extend our gratitude to everyone who stood in solidarity with the Gonzalez family,” she added.

Representatives from NBC News have contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment.

Journey to the U.S. and Brother’s Illness

González, 43, arrived in the United States from Venezuela the previous year to reunite with his brother, José Alfredo Pacheco, who was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease, also known as kidney failure, in December 2023. Since his arrival, González has been caring for his younger brother. They share the same mother.

“My brother is a good man, not a criminal, either in Venezuela or here,” Pacheco stated during Monday’s vigil. “He came solely with the hope of donating his kidney to me.”

Pacheco, a father of 9-year-old twins and a 17-year-old, expressed, “I want to live to see my children grow up.”

Humanitarian Parole Explained

Release on humanitarian parole means González will receive a temporary reprieve from deportation. This will allow him to remain temporarily in the United States to care for Pacheco and proceed with the potentially life-saving organ donation.

The precise conditions under which ICE agreed to temporarily release González have not been disclosed to the public.

Kidney Transplant and Paired Exchange

According to a medical letter obtained by NBC News from Pacheco’s doctors, González is the living kidney donor critically needed by Pacheco. Even if the brothers are not blood-type compatible, González could still facilitate a transplant for Pacheco through participation in a paired kidney exchange program, which matches incompatible recipient-donor pairs.

Participation in a paired kidney exchange could potentially allow González to save two lives: his brother’s and that of another recipient. “I believe it demonstrates José Gregorio’s character,” remarked Siegel.

Pacheco, 37, undergoes dialysis three times weekly, starting at 4 a.m. for four-hour sessions. On March 3, ICE agents apprehended González shortly after Pacheco returned from a dialysis session.

Asylum Claim and ICE Supervision

González had sought asylum in the United States. However, after not passing an initial credible fear interview, immigration authorities issued a deportation order against him. He was, nevertheless, permitted to remain in the U.S. under ICE supervision, a common practice, according to Tovia Siegel, director of organizing and leadership at The Resurrection Project’s Immigrant Justice department.

Siegel indicated that ICE was aware of González’s location at the time of arrest because he was wearing a GPS ankle monitor as part of his supervision order.

ICE utilizes such supervision orders to monitor immigrants through various programs to track undocumented individuals. These programs, intended as alternatives to detention, assist immigration officials in monitoring individuals who are not deemed deportation priorities or require additional time to pursue legal options to remain in the U.S. ICE data indicates nearly 179,000 individuals are currently monitored through these programs nationwide.

Siegel stated that González has no criminal record and had been compliant with the terms of his supervision order since his enrollment in the program upon entering the U.S. last year.

Pacheco, who has a pending asylum case and qualifies for Medicaid under a state program, is on a waiting list for a kidney transplant at the University of Illinois Hospital.

Urgency of Transplant

Without González’s kidney donation, Pacheco would face an estimated five-year wait for a deceased donor kidney transplant, according to his doctors.

High Mortality on Dialysis

“Unfortunately, the mortality rate for patients on dialysis awaiting kidney transplantation is extremely high,” the medical letter emphasized. “Living donor kidney transplantation provides the greatest probability of survival.”