A Victory for Justice and Compassion: Jose Gregorio Gonzalez Temporarily Released to Save His Brother's Life 

Written By Ada Humphrey

Be Prepared and Stay Protected — April 7, 2025

Venezuelan migrant brothers José Gregorio González, black shirt, and Alfredo Pacheco, with mask, are reunited in Broadview after Gregorio Gonzalez was released from ICE custody to donate a kidney to his brother, April 4, 2025. Pacheco was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure earlier this year. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune) Read the article.

On Friday, April 4, 2025, after a two-week public campaign, TRP client José Gregorio González was temporarily released from ICE detention. His release marks a powerful victory for our community and allows him to resume his selfless effort to save his brother Alfredo’s life.

Alfredo was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure earlier this year and has been battling renal disease for about two years. With 100% kidney failure, his only hope for survival has been a kidney transplant. José, his brother and only potential living donor match, came to the United States with the sole purpose of caring for and donating his kidney to Alfredo. 

But that dream was derailed on March 3, 2025, when José was unexpectedly detained by ICE just weeks before the transplant process was to begin. His detention could very well have been a death sentence for Alfredo.  

In response, The Resurrection Project’s (TRP) Immigrant Justice team launched an urgent campaign on March 18 to demand José's release on humanitarian parole. Since then, nearly 2,000 supporters signed our petition. Community leaders, advocates, and elected officials— including Senator Dick Durbin, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Congressmembers Chuy García, Delia Ramirez, Mike Quigley, State Senator Javier Cervantes, and State Representatives Lisa Hernandez and Edgar Gonzalez—joined our call to action.

Together, we fought hard, and we won. 

On Friday, April 4, TRP held a press conference to celebrate José and Alfredo's emotional reunion. With tears in their eyes, the brothers thanked the community for the outpouring of love, support, and solidarity. Congressman Chuy García spoke to the unusual but powerful outcome while emphasizing that a situation like this should never have occurred. José has no criminal history and only wanted to protect his brother and their family. Our immigration system is deeply broken, and no one should have to fight this hard to simply care for a loved one.

At TRP, we believe that everyone deserves dignity, healthcare, access to legal representation, and the right to stay with their families. We are proud to have stood with the brothers—and we will keep fighting until all immigrants in Illinois can thrive, regardless of where they were born. 

Thank you to every single person who showed up, signed, called, advocated, and stood in solidarity.

Help sustain the work that made this victory possible—donate to TRP Immigrant Justice to help us continue fighting for Illinois’ immigrants. 

To support José and Alfredo during this critical time, select "Client Support" under "What would you like your donation to support?" 

Amplifying Our Impact

While depictions of immigrants in the media have turned increasingly negative, by sharing their story, the González brothers not only won their reunification, but sparked a glimmer of hope for the countless people across the country who are living in fear of similar circumstances befalling them. For immigrants to be seen as equal, and for our community members to be recognized as people, it’s critical that our stories be heard and shared. So please share the stories below and never stop uplifting positive and humanizing stories from our communities. TRP Statement—Brothers Reunited After ICE Release, Kidney Transplant Hope Renewed

TRP Immigrant Justice Director of Organizing & Leadership Tovia Siegel shares details of José’s release in an interview with CNN on Friday.

Ada Humphrey
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TRP Statement: Brothers Reunited After ICE Release, Kidney Transplant Hope Renewed