A photo of Sofia at the hospital. (Photo courtesy of Public Counsel)

A young girl from Mexico receiving life-saving treatment in the U.S. is at risk of being deported, even though doctors say she could die within days without the medical care she’s getting in the U.S.

Sofia, a 4-year-old child suffering from a rare condition called short bowel syndrome, which depends on daily intravenous nutrition through a special tube and receives care from doctors at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. This type of care is not available in Mexico.

Sofia and her parents arrived in the U.S.-Mexico border in July 2023 under a program called humanitarian parole, a temporary legal status that allowed them to enter the U.S. solely for Sofia’s medical care.

Since arriving, she has been receiving treatment in Los Angeles and living with her family in Bakersfield. Where she now enjoys simple childhood experiences like going to the grocery store, activities she never experienced while hospitalized in Mexico, Sofia’s mother said during a press conference on May 28.

In April, her mother, Daisy Vargas, received notice from U.S. immigration authorities that officials suddenly ended their permission to stay even though they followed all the rules. They were told to leave the country immediately.

“I have many feelings due to my situation. I felt helpless. I didn’t have a way of resolving this issue on my own. I rely completely on the humanitarian parole that I had as well as the work permit,” said Vargas.

Now, without legal permission to stay, Sofia’s mom also lost her work permit, which was the family’s only income. They’re at risk of becoming homeless, which would make it impossible to keep Sofia’s medical equipment clean and safe.

“The notices also ordered the family to leave the United States immediately,” said Gina Amato, directing attorney of the Immigrants’ Rights Project at Public Counsel, during a press conference. “If deported and removed from accessing her specialized medical care, Sofia’s doctors have been clear that she will die within days.”

Sofia’s condition means she needs special feeding through an IV, every single day, in a very sterile environment. Which she carried in a backpack that she wears and must be supervised by specialists at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. If her IV gets infected or disconnected, she could die quickly.

Although her condition has improved, she is still not able to live without the treatment, and there is no set timeline for when she might recover enough to no longer need it, her attorneys said.

Rebecca Brown, one of the attorneys representing Sofia, said the family followed every legal procedure to enter the country and access care. She said the government made a mistake by canceling their parole without first looking closely at their specific situation, which is legally required.

“Either the government did not conduct an individualized assessment, which is required by law, or they made the cruel decision to send Sofia into harm’s way,” Brown said. “This administration’s policy of trying to eradicate parole is cruel and nonsensical. It is impacting countless individuals who are in the United States for various life-saving reasons.”

Public Counsel has asked the government to rethink its decision, but has not heard back. They’ve filed new applications to try to keep Sofia and her family in the U.S. legally.

“Meeting humanitarian needs isn’t political, it is the right thing to do. Parole exists to protect the most vulnerable, like Sofia, and this case is a reflection of it,” said Brown.

Meanwhile, Vargas said Sofia continues to enjoy the life her treatment has made possible.

“Sofia likes to enjoy many things. She likes to travel, she likes to go to the supermarket, things that she just normally wouldn’t have been able to do during the consecutive years that she was hospitalized. And there’s so much more that she will continue to enjoy doing,” said Vargas.

To support Sofia and her family, visit their GoFundMe page here: https://gofund.me/e83d3ad6