Months before buses carrying immigrants arrived from Texas, Venezuelans in Chicago saw signs of humanitarian crisis

Rafael Briceño Colmenares arrived in the Chicago area in January from Venezuela. He faces a steep legal battle as he tries to seek asylum in the U.S. And his three children, wife and family remain in Venezuela. (Rich Hein/Sun-Times)

When Rafael Briceño Colmenares arrived in Chicago on a frigid night last January, all he had was a phone number for a woman he had never met.

In his native Venezuela, Colmenares worked as a security guard for the government and later taught music at a college. At one point, he had two homes for his three children and wife.