An 18-year-old battling terminal cancer in Mexico has reunited with his parents after they were released from U.S. immigration custody.
Earlier this week, NBC Chicago reported an immigration judge had ordered the expedited release of Kevin Gonzalez’s parents so they could reunite with him in Mexico.
Kevin, a U.S. citizen, was diagnosed earlier this year with colon cancer, and it has since spread to his stomach and lungs, and doctors have informed him treatment is no longer an option.
His parents had attempted to cross the border after his diagnosis, but they were taken into custody by ICE agents in Arizona.
This week, Kevin had issued a public plea for his parents to be released from custody so they could travel to Mexico to be with him as he battles terminal illness, and on Saturday they were reunited in an emotional moment in Durango.
After weeks of anguish and an immigration process that moved thousands, Kevin González finally fulfills his last wish: to embrace his parents.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Kevin’s mother attempted to re-enter the U.S. on two separate occasions before being caught. The most recent attempt was earlier this year, along with Kevin’s father.
Authorities said they applied for humanitarian parole but were denied. A DHS spokesperson told NBC Chicago they applied for B1/B2 visas, which were denied due to their previous unlawful presence and entries.
The Mexican consulate and multiple lawmakers advocated for the family’s reunion. A federal judge was moved by the father’s plea, granting the parents’ release, which allowed them to make the trip.
