Four-year-old undergoing medical treatment at Children’s Hospital at risk of deportation

Sofia is a four-year-old who likes to go to the grocery store and to the park with her mother. While all of this seems normal for children, it wasn’t for Sofia during her first two years of life due to her medical condition called short bowel syndrome. 

This means Sofia, whose real name was withheld for her privacy, is not able to take in and process nutrients on her own. 

In July 2023, mother and daughter arrived at the Mexico-United States border and received humanitarian parole, which allowed Sofia to receive the right treatment. This includes intravenous (IV) treatments 14 hours a day every day at home. 

She also carries a small backpack with her medical equipment, which allows her to leave the hospital and spend more time at home.

However, anxiety and stress is overwhelming Sofia’s mother, Deysi Vargas after she received several letters indicating that her humanitarian parole has ended and her work permit has been revoked. 

On Wednesday morning, Vargas and her attorneys held a press conference in hopes that the Trump administration recognizes the medical need and keeps in place their humanitarian parole.

Vargas said that in her native Oaxaca, Mexico Sofia wasn’t getting better because they didn’t have the right resources. 

“Now with this help in the United States, my daughter has the opportunity to get out of the hospital, get to know the world, and live like a normal girl of her age,” said Vargas. “If they deport us and remove my daughter from her specialized medical care, she will die.” 

Sofia is receiving treatment at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), and while her condition has improved, she cannot live independently without treatment. 

Gina Amado, Public Counsel’s directing attorney for immigrant rights, said the humanitarian parole that the family received was to receive life-saving medical treatment. 

“This treatment cannot be administered outside of the United States, so it's imperative that she remains here,” said Amado. The manufactured equipment cannot travel outside the United States.

Amado said Vargas received three letters from immigration, the last one stating that they are no longer in lawful status and are now vulnerable to deportation. 

“The notice also ordered the family to leave the United States immediately. If deported and removed from accessing her specialized medical care, Sophia's doctors have been clear that she will die within days,” said Amado. 

In response to these statements, the Department of Homeland Security said that “any reporting that Vargas and her family are actively being deported are FALSE. This family applied with USCIS for humanitarian parole on May 14, 2025, and the application is still being considered.”

Hoping for a better decision

Rebecca Brown, Sofia’s attorney, said humanitarian parole is for people like Daysi and Sofia. They did everything that was requested by the law. She applied to the United States to get better treatment for her daughter and waited for the application approval before arriving in the United States. 

“Had anyone taken the time to conduct an individualized assessment of my client's case, we are confident that they would clearly see the humanitarian need,” said Brown. “Either the government did not conduct an individualized assessment, which is required by law, or they made the cruel decision to send Sophia in harm's way.”

Despite filing new applications for humanitarian parole and contacting immigration offices, there has not been any response for Sofia. 

Brown said the administration’s decisions are impacting many individuals who are in the United States for various life-saving reasons.

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

Sofia’s representatives encouraged the community to raise their voices and call elected officials to advocate for the child. There is also a GoFundMe page to support Sofia and her mother.