Sofia and her mother at brink of deportation receive extension for humanitarian parole

After weeks of anxiety and fear, Deysi Vargas is thankful that her daughter have been granted an extension to remain in the United States to continue the four-year-old’s  medical treatment. In their case, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) decision was the difference between life and death.

Sofia–whose name is withheld for her privacy–suffers from a condition called short bowel syndrome, which means she cannot take in and process nutrients properly. In 2023 mother and daughter were granted humanitarian parole. Although they moved to Bakersfield, Sofia receives medical treatment at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). 

However in April, Vargas received a letter from immigration stating that their humanitarian parole had ended and her work permit had been revoked. Two subsequent letters said mother and daughter had to self-deport. 

Last week Vargas stood in front of the media to advocate for her daughter and plead the Trump administration to let them stay and continue Sofia’s treatment. 

 “If they deport us and remove my daughter from her specialized medical care, she will die,” said Vargas during a press conference.

After the significant media coverage, USCIS contacted Vargas attorney Rebecca Brown to discuss processing Sofia’s application for humanitarian parole. Sofia and Vargas attended a biometrics appointment at the USCIS Bakersfield field office on May 30. Four days later, USCIS sent an official notice letting them know that “effective June 2, 2025, you have been granted Humanitarian Parole for a period of one year. The parole will expire on June 1, 2026.”

There is more work to do

Sofia’s attorneys at Public Counsel thanked USCIS for granting the 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,” said Brown and Gina Amato Lough, directing attorney at Public Counsel in a shared statement. “Sofia’s story is one of many, but life‑or‑death decisions like hers aren’t always visible. Many families who seek refuge in the United States are fleeing threats you can’t see and, while their wounds may be invisible, the danger they face is every bit as real.”

While there is celebration at this moment, the Public Counsel attorneys pointed out the systemic challenges in this case. 

They said Sofia’s parole was terminated without warning, and for weeks there was no functional avenue to alert USCIS that her life was in danger. The attorneys said it took an international outcry and pressure from elected officials to get a response.

Public Counsel urged USCIS to build on this momentum and reopen accessible lines of communication, preventing wrongful terminations before they spiral into crises and ensuring that every family facing imminent harm receives the prompt consideration Sofia received.

“Because saving Sofia was never just about one child; it’s about what kind of nation we choose to be,” said the attorneys. “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.