White House restores legal status of child with life-threatening illness
The Trump administration has reversed its decision to revoke the legal status of a four-year-old girl, receiving ongoing life-saving treatment in the US, and her family after a national outcry.
Deysi Vargas, her husband and their daughter – whom lawyers identified by the pseudonym Sofia – had come to the US in 2023 to seek medical care for their daughter who has a rare condition that requires specialized treatment. But in April, the federal government ended their humanitarian parole, a temporary status granted to people on urgent humanitarian grounds, and ordered them to 'self-deport'.
Sofia's doctors warned that she would likely die 'within days' if forced to return to Mexico and her family and attorneys fought the deportation order, describing it as unlawful and 'a cruel betrayal of our nation's values'.
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Her case, which an attorney for the family said highlighted 'the recklessness of this administration's deportation policies', sparked outrage and a significant response from Democratic lawmakers. Dozens of representatives and both of California's senators, Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, signed a letter urging the Department of Homeland Security to extend the family's legal status.
'We believe this family's situation clearly meets the need for humanitarian aid and urge you and this Administration to reconsider its decision. It is our duty to protect the sick, vulnerable, and defenseless. Without action, S.G.V. will die,' the lawmakers wrote.
The Los Angeles Times first reported on Tuesday that the administration had restored legal status for the family, sending a letter on Monday that stated: 'This is to advise you that effective June 2, 2025, you have been granted Humanitarian Parole for a period of one year.'
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