Chicago teen who pushed for parents’ release from ICE custody dies of cancer
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Kevin González, an 18-year-old Chicago-born teen battling terminal colon cancer, died shortly after reuniting with his parents in Mexico, who had been detained by US immigration authorities.
- His parents, Isidro González Avilés and Norma Anabel Ramírez Amaya, were arrested by ICE in Arizona after attempting to enter the US without permission to see Kevin during his illness.
- A federal judge ordered their release and expedited deportation, allowing them to reunite with Kevin at his grandmother’s home in Durango just one day before his death.
- The case drew attention to the human impact of the US immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, echoing similar situations like that of Ofelia Torres, a Chicago teen who died after advocating for her father’s release from ICE.
- Chicago Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García condemned the circumstances, pledging to continue fighting for a more humane immigration system that treats families with dignity.