Man Facing Deportation Might Get To Stay To Give Kidney To Sick Sister
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Immigration officials have agreed to consider allowing a man facing deportation to stay in the U.S. to donate a kidney to his ailing sister.
Jazmin Longoria-Lara looked exhausted Wednesday as she stood in front of the Lincoln United Methodist Church in Pilsen, hoping U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials would hear her pleas for help.
Jazmin has been on dialysis three times a week for four years, and needs a kidney transplant. Her brother is a compatible donor, but is facing deportation.
"Open their hearts, and let him out, because it would change my life. I'm tired of being sick," she said.
Her brother, Argenis, lost his legal permanent resident status after pleading guilty to burglary. As he sits in custody in McHenry County, his family has asked an immigration judge to halt his deportation to Mexico.
"In this country, if you're a legal resident, and you make a mistake, they can take that away from you," activist pastor Emma Lozano said.
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ICE officials said they are considering allowing Argenis to stay in the U.S. to give Jazmin one of his kidneys.
Attorney Matthew Katz has been representing Argenis in his immigration case.
"ICE must give us a favorable exercise of their discretion if they do show that they have compassion," he said.
Jazmin said 12 people in her situation die every day, and she does not want to be one of them.
