ICE detains Venezuelan man released on humanitarian parole to donate kidney to Chicago-area brother

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Venezuelan man who was released on humanitarian parole last year to give a life-saving kidney donation to his brother in the Chicago area is now in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody again, his attorney said Wednesday.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.

José Gregorio González successfully donated his kidney to his own brother in hopes of saving his life in August 2025.

ICE temporarily released González from a Broadview facility in April 2025.

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According to his attorney in 2025, González was granted supervised release for one year to care for his dying sibling and donate a kidney to him.

González was detained by ICE earlier in the year in 2025 while accompanying his brother, José Alfredo Pacheco, to a dialysis appointment. Pacheco, of Cicero, had end-stage kidney failure and needed a transplant.

The Resurrection Project, the group representing González, said González successfully donated his kidney to Pacheco on August 15, 2025. The surgery was done at a Chicago-area hospital.

The Resurrection Project says González does not have a criminal background.

González now facing possible deportation now that he is in ICE custody once again.

His attorney, Peter Meinecke, is preparing a new request for humanitarian parole.

ICE said in a statement in April 2025, "Jose Gregorio Gonzalez, 43, is a citizen of Venezuela who has been ordered removed to his home country by an immigration judge... Gonzalez was arrested and placed in ICE custody March 3 without incident. After providing proper documentation ICE granted Gonzalez a temporary stay on humanitarian grounds."

ABC News contributed to this report.