The parents of 18-year-old Kevin González, who was born in Chicago and is battling stage IV metastatic colon cancer, crossed into Mexico via the Nogales border crossing last Thursday. This followed a federal judge in Arizona granting them expedited deportation so they could reunite with their dying son in Sonora.
Isidoro González Avilés, 48, and Norma Anabel Ramírez Amaya, 43, were apprehended on April 14 near Douglas, Arizona, after illegally crossing the border in a desperate attempt to be with Kevin, whose health was rapidly declining after he stopped responding to treatment.
The parents had been living in Mexico for years after previously being deported. According to court documents obtained by NBC News, Isidoro González Avilés was deported from the U.S. in January 2011 and did not have legal authorization to re-enter the country.
Before crossing the border, they had applied for humanitarian visas to legally enter and be with their son. However, the Department of Homeland Security denied these requests, stating they had not applied through the correct process—humanitarian parole—and that their B1/B2 visa applications were rejected due to their past illegal presence and entries into the United States.
Following their parents' detention, Kevin left Chicago and flew to Mexico, where he was placed under the care of his grandmother, Virginia Amaya, in Durango. His condition deteriorated so swiftly that he is now unable to fly.
Last Thursday, González Avilés appeared before a federal judge in Tucson to determine whether he would face criminal charges for illegal re-entry or be deported. During the hearing, he pleaded tearfully with the judge to send him to Mexico to be with his son. The judge, visibly moved and acknowledging he also has children, approved the expedited deportation of both parents.
The Mexican Consulate General in Chicago confirmed that their officials in Tucson coordinated with immigration authorities for the swift repatriation. The planned route included crossing through Nogales, a road trip to Hermosillo, and an emergency flight to Durango, where the family anticipates reuniting.
Since Kevin publicly pleaded from Mexico last Tuesday, asking for his parents' deportation so he could see them, his condition has worsened drastically. He is now unable to eat or drink and can barely speak.
Kevin's doctors in Chicago sent letters to authorities requesting the parents' "release on humanitarian grounds" and recommending that Kevin "receive end-of-life palliative care" with his family in Mexico. "Tragically, Kevin is not expected to live much longer," the letter obtained by Telemundo Chicago states.
Jovany Ramírez, Kevin's older brother who cared for him in Chicago following his diagnosis in January, bluntly summarized the situation: "My brother's days are numbered. That's why all he wanted was for our parents to be there."
"It breaks my heart to see how much he is suffering," expressed grandmother Virginia Amaya to Telemundo Chicago.
Understanding the Deportation and Family Reunification Process
What led to the parents' deportation from the United States?
The parents were previously deported and had no legal authorization to re-enter the U.S. They crossed the border illegally in an effort to reunite with their terminally ill son, which led to their detention and subsequent deportation.
Why were the parents' visa applications denied?
Their applications for humanitarian visas were denied because they did not apply through the correct process, which is humanitarian parole. Additionally, their B1/B2 visas were rejected due to their previous illegal presence and entries in the U.S.
How is Kevin González's current health condition?
Kevin's health has deteriorated significantly. He is unable to consume food or water and can hardly speak. His doctors have recommended that he receive end-of-life palliative care with his family.