Kevin Gonzalez, 18, Dies in Mexico One Day After Reuniting with Parents Released from US Immigration Detention

Kevin Gonzalez, an 18-year-old US citizen with terminal cancer, died on Sunday in Durango, Mexico—just one day after being reunited with his parents, who had been released from US immigration detention.

"I didn't imagine seeing him so thin, the way he is." — Norma Anabel Ramírez Amaya, Kevin's mother

Key Facts

• Kevin Gonzalez was born in Chicago, Illinois, and was a US citizen. He lived in Mexico with his parents, Isidoro González Avilés and Norma Anabel Ramírez Amaya, who had been previously deported from the United States.

• In January, while visiting relatives in Chicago, Gonzalez was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. The cancer had spread to his stomach and lungs, and medical professionals determined that treatment was no longer viable.

• Gonzalez’s parents attempted to enter the United States without authorization to visit him. On April 14, they were taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents near Douglas, Arizona.

• An immigration judge ordered the parents' expedited release, and a federal judge in Tucson ordered their release on May 7. They were deported to Mexico on May 10.

• While his parents were detained, Gonzalez flew back to Mexico and was cared for by his grandmother.

• The family’s reunion occurred on May 11 at the grandmother’s home in Durango. Gonzalez died the following afternoon, with both parents present.

• The Mexican consulate and multiple US lawmakers advocated for the family’s reunion.

Immigration Status and Legal Actions

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Gonzalez’s mother attempted to re-enter the US on two separate occasions. The most recent attempt was earlier this year, accompanied by Gonzalez’s father.

Gonzalez’s grandmother stated that the parents had filed humanitarian requests to enter the US, which were denied. A DHS spokesperson stated that the parents applied for B1/B2 visitor visas, which were denied due to prior unlawful presence and re-entries.

A doctor from the University of Chicago medical center requested compassionate release for the mother on April 28. Gonzalez made a public plea for his parents’ release in a May 6 interview with Telemundo.

"I knelt on his feet, I told him I was sorry if I ever disappointed him as a father and that I loved him." — Isidoro González Avilés, Kevin's father

Statements

Kevin’s mother, Norma Anabel Ramírez Amaya, said: "I didn't imagine seeing him so thin, the way he is."

Kevin’s father, Isidoro González Avilés, said: "I knelt on his feet, I told him I was sorry if I ever disappointed him as a father and that I loved him." He also added: "I don't think he deserved the suffering he had."

US Representative Jesús "Chuy" García said: "They should have had more time together."