A 4-year-old girl receiving “lifesaving medical treatment” in the United States was granted humanitarian parole for one year, allowing her and her mother to remain in the country, the child’s attorneys announced on Tuesday.
The child and her mother, Deysi Vargas, have been living in the U.S. since 2023, but received three letters from the Department of Homeland Security in April saying their humanitarian parole was being terminated.
The young girl — who is identified by her lawyers under the pseudonym “Sofia” — suffers from “short bowel syndrome,” which prevents her from being able to properly absorb nutrients and fluid from food on her own.
Vargas received official notice from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Tuesday that she and her daughter were granted humanitarian parole. The parole period will last for exactly one year, expiring on June 1, 2026.
The legal victory came after Vargas brought Sofia for a biometrics appointment at a USCIS field office in Bakersfield, California, on May 30.
“We are profoundly grateful that USCIS acted swiftly to grant Sofia and her mother one year of humanitarian parole. By moving quickly, the agency has ensured that a four‑year‑old girl can continue receiving her life-saving medical treatment. We commend USCIS for its responsiveness and for recognizing the urgency of this situation,” her lawyers at Public Counsel said in a statement.
Sofia began receiving life-saving medical treatment for this condition at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles when she and her parents crossed the border from Mexico in 2023 on humanitarian parole, Sofia’s lawyers said during a press conference in May.
Sofia’s medical care, which consists of her receiving specialized IV treatments for up to 14 hours a day, can only be administered in the United States, per the equipment manufacturer, her lawyers said.
Vargas said the treatment in the U.S. has allowed Sofia to “live her life” with her family, but if she and her daughter were forced to return back to Mexico, Sofia “will be at the hospital day and night,” she said during the press conference.
In their statement on Tuesday, Sofia’s attorneys said, “While we celebrate this victory, we cannot ignore the systemic challenges that brought Sofia to the brink. Her parole was terminated without warning, and for weeks there was no functional avenue to alert USCIS that a child’s life was in danger. It took an international outcry and pressure from elected officials to get a response — something that used to take a single phone call.”
“Our immigration system must protect everyone facing life‑threatening harm. We cannot let this country turn its back on our immigrant neighbors seeking safety, justice, and a fair chance at life,” her attorneys said.
ABC News’ Matt Claiborne and Megan Forrester contributed to this report.
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