After ICE detention fight, Venezuelan man saves Chicago brother's life with kidney transplant

Venezuelan man saves Chicago brother's life with kidney transplant after ICE detention fight

A Venezuelan man detained by ICE earlier this year has now saved his brother's life with a successful kidney transplant in Chicago.

CHICAGO - A Venezuelan man whose ICE detention earlier this year sparked protests in Chicago has now successfully donated his kidney to his brother, according to The Resurrection Project.

What we know:

The local nonprofit announced that José Gregorio González donated a kidney to his brother, José Alfredo Pacheco, in a surgery completed last week at a Chicago-area hospital.

Pacheco, who lives in Chicago, suffers from end-stage renal disease and needed the transplant to survive.

Venezuelan man released by ICE reunites with brother in need of kidney transplant

A Venezuelan man who came to Chicago to save his brother?s life but was detained by ICE is finally free after weeks of public outcry and the two were reunited Friday in Pilsen.

The backstory:

Gonzalez came to the United States last year in the hopes of being a donor, and the two were scheduled for a transplant evaluation in April.

But on March 3, ICE agents arrested Gonzalez while he was accompanying his brother to a dialysis appointment in Cicero. His attorney said Gonzalez has no criminal record and has complied with federal immigration requirements since arriving in the U.S.

A month later, he was granted humanitarian parole following weeks of advocacy, including nearly 2,000 petition signatures and pressure from elected officials.

What they're saying:

"Today we celebrate not just a successful surgery, but the triumph of love and community over fear and cruelty," said Erendira Rendón, vice president of immigrant justice at The Resurrection Project.

González still faces the possibility of deportation after one year, though he is eligible to apply for a work permit in the meantime.

"My brother saved my life before being deported," Pacheco said in a statement on GoFundMe. "There aren't enough words to describe his generosity. He's about to leave the country, but before that, he left me the most valuable gift: the opportunity to continue living."

"This victory shows us what’s possible when communities organize together," said Tovia Siegel, director of organizing and leadership for immigrant justice at The Resurrection Project. "José Gregorio came to this country with one mission – to save his brother’s life… While their story is remarkable, it shouldn’t be extraordinary. No family should have to mobilize an entire movement just to keep their loved ones alive."