A Venezuelan man came to the United States to donate a kidney to his brother in kidney failure, but ICE authorities detained him, putting the fate of both brothers in question.
José Alfredo Pacheco, 37, was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure in December 2023, shortly after arriving in the Chicago area from Venezuela, seeking asylum. His older brother, José Gregorio González, 43, hoped to donate his kidney to save Pacheco’s life — but immigration authorities detained him, throwing their plans into disarray.
The pair had an appointment at a hospital ahead of the organ transplant surgery, the Chicago Tribune reported. But those plans are now up in the air after Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested González on March 3 as he was making breakfast at his home for his sick brother.
