Lisa Hernandez Calls for Humanitarian Release of Local ICE Detainee to Donate a Kidney to his Sick Brother

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Elizabeth ‘Lisa’ Hernandez, D-Cicero, issued the following statement calling on federal immigration enforcement officials to release Jose Gregorio Gonzalez on humanitarian parole to donate his kidney and save his brother Alfredo’s life: 

“Nearly two weeks ago, Jose Gregorio Gonzalez, a longtime resident of Cicero and immigrant from Venezuela was detained by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials as a part of the current administration’s widespread crackdown on who they perceive to be threats to our country. 

“The irony is that Jose and his brother are law-abiding, hardworking and dedicated members of the Cicero community. They have spent their lives in the U.S.. They built a landscaping business from scratch and led lives based on honest work and the American Dream. Yet, this vision was ripped from them, by a life threatening medical diagnosis for Alfredo, and a nonsensical detention by ICE for Jose. 

“Alfredo and Jose deserve to build their futures in Illinois and in the U.S. I am committed to doing everything I can to make that happen. However, it is ultimately the decision of federal immigration officials if the brothers’ kidney transplant procedure can occur in time. 

“I urge President Trump and the Department of Homeland Security to consider the precarious medical situation Alfredo is in, and how keeping Jose locked away could very well lead to his brother’s death. This should not be a partisan issue, but it certainly is a moral one. Their lives are in this administration’s hands.”