Sister asks judge to stay deportation for kidney donor

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Jazmin Longoria-Lara needs a kidney transplant and said her only hope is her brother, who is facing deportation.

Longoria-Lara, 21, was diagnosed with MPGN, a disease that affects the kidneys, about 10 years ago. At that time, she underwent a kidney transplant with an organ donated by her mother. In 2011, she became pregnant and her kidney failed. She lost the baby and has been in and out of hospitals and on dialysis three times a week since then.

"Is there time for me? I don't know. I can die any day," she said. "I've seen so many people pass away who started the same time I started dialysis. they are gone and that scares me."

Longoria-Lara said her brother, Argenis, is her only hope. He's a perfect match. The issue: Argenis is in custody and could be deported to Mexico. The 27-year-old man lost his permanent residence status after pleading guilty to a burglary.

With the help of activist Emma Lozano, the family filed an appeal asking a judge to stay Argenis' deportation orders until after the transplant is complete.

"They do have discretion and the should use it on cases like this where it's someone in the balance, where their life is being threatened. And we have this potential donor they are going to deport," Lozana said.

Argenis is scheduled for an immigration hearing on Friday. Longoria-Lara hopes Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Luis Gutierrez will intervene. She spoke with staff from the lawmakers' Chicago offices on Tuesday afternoon.