4-Year-Old Girl Wins Year-Long Deportation Reprieve to Continue Lifesaving Care

The family of Sofia, a 4-year-old Mexican girl suffering from short bowel syndrome, was granted a one-year humanitarian parole by the U.S. federal government, allowing her to remain in the country to continue receiving life-saving medical care. Sofia requires intravenous nutrition and specialized treatment at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, which her doctors say she will die without within days if interrupted. The family initially entered the U.S. legally in 2023 during the Biden Administration to seek treatment but faced deportation orders after the Trump Administration revoked their humanitarian admission, demanding self-deportation. Their case sparked widespread public outcry and advocacy from California lawmakers and members of Congress, who urged the Department of Homeland Security to reinstate their legal status on humanitarian grounds. The humanitarian parole decision reverses the previous order for the family to self-deport, ensuring Sofia can continue her critical care. The family's situation highlights ongoing tensions in U.S. immigration policies regarding medical humanitarian cases under the current presidential administration.