A Chicago family says federal immigration agents detained the father of three on Dec. 29, and they are now racing the clock to make sure he gets life‑saving medication. The man, identified by relatives as Albeiro Ropero Remolina, reportedly has a severe seizure disorder that requires medicine twice a day, and his family says missing even one dose could be fatal. His wife was released the same day, while he remains in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody at a facility in Indiana, according to the family.
His wife describes the arrest as sudden and terrifying, saying agents surrounded the couple’s car and that one officer pointed a gun at her. According to WTTW News, attorneys say they have filed humanitarian requests both to ensure he receives his medication and to push for his release, and they contend he has no criminal record. WTTW also reports that the couple applied for asylum nearly a year ago after leaving Venezuela and spent months in a city shelter before finally securing housing.
A Hyde Park group has launched an online fundraiser to help cover the family’s legal and living expenses, according to the campaign page. Their attorney is Angelika Charczuk of ADC Immigration Law in Chicago, whose firm says it focuses on removal defense and humanitarian relief in the region.
Habeas Petition Filed in Indiana
Charczuk has filed a habeas corpus petition in Indiana, arguing that Remolina is being unlawfully held and urgently needs uninterrupted access to his twice‑daily medication. “A habeas corpus petition can take anywhere from a few weeks to months,” she told reporters, underscoring the family’s anxiety about whether he will receive timely medical care as the case winds through the courts, according to WTTW News.
Broadview Processing Site and Transfers
Advocates say Remolina’s case is unfolding amid stepped-up enforcement in the Chicago area and fresh scrutiny of the Broadview immigration processing center. A federal judge ordered improvements at Broadview after testimony about overcrowded conditions, limited access to showers, and restricted opportunities for private legal calls and medication. Attorneys say those strains on the local processing system have contributed to more detainees being shipped to facilities outside Illinois. Reuters has detailed the Broadview ruling and its fallout.
Legal Implications
A habeas petition asks a federal judge to decide whether the government has lawful authority to keep someone in custody and can trigger an expedited order to show cause and rapid hearings under federal law. The governing statutes call for a fast return and hearing schedule in habeas cases. For example, 28 U.S.C. § 2243 contemplates a return within days and an accelerated timetable for a hearing, although judges often grant additional time in more complex matters. See the U.S. Code, Title 28, for the framework on returns and hearings, and Cornell Law School for the text of 28 U.S.C. § 2241 and the courts' power to grant the writ.
For now, the family waits while lawyers press the habeas petition and the fundraiser collects donations for legal fees and the children’s needs. Advocates say the case lays bare the human stakes behind immigration enforcement and the narrow window for making sure people in detention with serious medical conditions get care when they need it.
