Critically ill child and her family face possible deportation
LOS ANGELES (CNN, KYMA/KECY) - A critically ill four-year-old girl is facing possible deportation, and if her care is halted, she could die within days.
Deysi Vargas keeps a close eye on the IV delivering life-saving nutrients to her four-year-old daughter, Sofia.
Young Sofia has a rare condition called short bowel syndrome or short intestine syndrome, which requires 14 hours a day of intravenous nutrition.
Sofia was diagnosed as a baby in her home country of Mexico, where doctors told her mother she needed to come to the U.S. for life-saving care.
In 2023, an emergency visa allowed Sofia to get treatment at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, but now Sofia's life could be on the line because her mother received a letter revoking their legal status.
"The doctors have said unequivocally that if this child's treatment is interrupted, that she will die within a matter of days. So, yes, they must remain in the United States," said Gina Amato Lough, an attorney representing the family.
Amato Lough says they don't know why Sofia and her mother are being targeted adding, "They were not given any reason as to why. There's no allegations that they have violated the rules or anything like that. They were supposed to have parole through the end of July."
Vargas and the attorneys helping her are doing all they can to appeal the order to leave.
Vargas is trying to stay strong for her daughter, but knows the stakes couldn't be higher as her daughter's life could be on the line.
"If we go back to Mexico, Sofia will be back in the hospital, getting the treatment that will not be good for her, and her life will be at risk," Vargas expressed.
There is some hope as the letter sent to Vargas could have been a mistake. Across the country, U.S. citizens have received the letters in error, including one of the attorneys who works for the firm representing Vargas.
"These are being sent out indiscriminately across the country, but to see it sent to a family whose four-year-old child depends on this life saving treatment is really shocking. I mean, it's really inhumane and cruel. So, you know, we'd like to give the government the benefit of the doubt that this was some sort of mistake," Amato Lough remarked.
