Sad to say, the Trump administration has taken away the humanitarian release that allowed a 4-year-old Mexican girl to get life-saving medical care in the US. This has made her and her family fear that they might have to leave the country. Just a few months ago, the little girl with a rare and dangerous illness was given temporary entry to the U.S. so she could get treatment that wasn’t available in her home country of Mexico.
The girl, whose name is being withheld to protect her family, has been dealing with short bowel syndrome, a disease that makes it very hard for her to absorb nutrients from food. Because of this, she needs constant intravenous nutrition, which is given to her through a backpack that she always wears. Doctors have told her that she won’t live long without this medicine.
To save their daughter’s life, the family crossed the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time in 2023. The U.S. government heard their cries for help and gave them humanitarian release, which let the girl get medical care at a hospital in San Diego. She was able to join a special program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles after her first treatment. She now gets her important care at home in Bakersfield, California.
While she was in the U.S., her mother, Deysi Vargas, said that her daughter’s life has changed for the better. The girl used to have to stay in a hospital bed in Mexico, but now she can play, go to the park, and even go to the store. These small joys are nothing short of amazing for a little girl who spent most of her childhood in hospitals.
In April and May, though, Vargas got some bad news from the U.S. government. The family’s lawyers said that the Trump administration had sent them notice that their daughter’s humanitarian parole was being taken away and that the family might have to leave the country. Supporters of the family are furious that the release was revoked. They say that sending the child back to Mexico without getting the medical care she needs would be cruel and dangerous.
At a news conference in Los Angeles, the family’s lawyer, Gina Amato, spoke out against the decision, calling it not only against U.S. law but also a terrible moral mistake. Amato said, “Deporting this family under these circumstances is not only illegal, it is also a moral failure that goes against the basic rules of humanity and decency.”
Even though the news was bad, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that the family is not being removed right now. Another application for humanitarian release that was sent in a few weeks ago is still being looked at. This has given people who care about the family hope that a settlement may still be possible.
Concerns have also been raised about the Trump administration’s efforts to undo policies put in place by President Joe Biden that let more migrants live freely in the U.S., especially those seeking life-saving medical care. People with serious health problems were often given humanitarian parole during the Biden administration. This policy let people like the Mexican girl get care that could have saved her life.
In Mexico, the girl’s medical needs can’t be met, so her family has to make a terrible decision: either send her back to a country where she has a small chance of living, or risk being sent back to their home country. The move to take away her parole has left them without a plan for the future.
Vargas has asked U.S. government officials to change their minds about their choice. Lawyers have also contacted elected leaders to ask them to get involved in this case. Unfortunately, they haven’t heard back yet, so the family’s fate is still unknown.
The girl is still living in California for now. She has a better quality of life there now that she has gotten better medical care. But because she could be deported, her family is still not sure what will happen and is afraid for their beloved daughter’s safety and well-being.
As the case develops, it serves as a warning of how complicated immigration policy is and how many lives are at risk, especially those of children who are weak. The girl’s story has started a larger conversation about the purpose of humanitarian parole and how important it is to help people in need, no matter what their immigration situation is.
“This article was written by Mathew Owen. AI tools were used lightly for grammar and formatting, but the ideas, words, and edits are all mine.”
