The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has now drawn fresh backlash, this time over the case of a critically ill four-year-old Mexican girl whose life could be at risk if deported.
Sofia, the young daughter of Deysi Vargas, has been undergoing life-saving treatment in the U.S. after entering the country on temporary humanitarian grounds in 2023. But now, the family says, immigration authorities have ordered her to leave. The move that could prove fatal, according to doctors and advocates.
TRUMP’s EVIL “REGIME” WANTS TO DEPORT A 4 YEAR OLD GIRL WHO REQUIRES LIFESAVING MEDICAL CARE IN U.S.. Her “Family was granted humanitarian entry loses legal status…If there is an interruption in her nutrition system, called Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) this could be fatal…” pic.twitter.com/G2jXRIftbO
— Luis Carrillo (@lac4justice) May 27, 2025
Sofia suffers from short bowel syndrome, a rare and serious condition that prevents her body from absorbing nutrients properly. Born in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, she has depended on feeding tubes since birth and underwent six surgeries due to an intestinal blockage. One of those procedures removed too much of her intestine, leaving her with a permanent medical condition. “One blood infection she suffered as a result nearly killed her,” her mother said.
After struggling to find adequate care in Mexico, Vargas used the CBP One app, implemented under the Biden administration and now used by the Trump team, to request an appointment at the border in Tijuana. When the family arrived on July 31, 2023, U.S. border agents immediately noticed Sofia’s fragile health.
“God knew she needed better treatment,” Vargas told The Los Angeles Times. “When we got to the entrance, they saw her and asked us if we needed medical help.”
“Child, 4, who needs care loses legal status” in Bakersfield CALIF TRUMP’s REGIME sent a letter to her family: “It is in your best interest to avoid deportation and leave the United States of your own accord.” BUT DOING SO WOULD PUT THE 4 Year old girl At immediate risk of death! pic.twitter.com/VZUBa6sSGC
— Luis Carrillo (@lac4justice) May 27, 2025
She was quickly taken to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego and later referred to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, home to one of the country’s leading pediatric gastroenterology programs. Under their care, Sofia’s condition stabilized enough that she was able to continue treatment from home in Bakersfield, California.
“It was incredible,” Vargas said. “I had waited so long for doctors to tell me, ‘Ma’am, your daughter is OK now. She can go home.’”
A GoFundMe page launched by the family under Sofia’s name has helped raise awareness about her condition and support ongoing treatment costs as they fight to remain in the U.S.
But Sofia’s treatment remains intensive. She is still connected to an intravenous feeding system for 14 hours each night. Her mother must also administer medication four times daily via a gastric tube, and a school nurse provides nutrition support at preschool.
Now, with the Trump administration’s order to deport the family, Sofia’s life hangs in the balance.
Dr. John Arsenault of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles confirmed the gravity of the situation. In a letter obtained by The Los Angeles Times, he wrote that any disruption to Sofia’s Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) “could be fatal within a matter of days.”
“Sofia receives intravenous nutrition 14 hours a day and needs to visit the hospital every six weeks. Without the treatment provided by Children’s Hospital, Sofia will die.” Trump wants to deport her. She’s 4 years old.
— Merle Gornick (@MerleChloe) May 27, 2025
“The infrastructure to provide TPN or provide immediate intervention if there is a problem with IV access depends on our program’s utilization of U.S.-based healthcare resources and does not transfer across borders,” Arsenault added.
Attorney Rebecca Brown from Public Counsel, who is representing the family, called the deportation threat “a textbook example of medical need.”
“This child will die and there’s no sense for that to happen,” she said. “It would just be a cruel sacrifice.”
The family’s employment authorization has also been terminated; another blow that their legal team believes is an administrative error. They’ve since submitted a petition to continue Sofia’s humanitarian status based on her medical condition.
“This is the intended purpose, to help the most vulnerable who need attention here,” Brown explained. “We can avoid having harmed the child and the family.”
Vargas, now working as a restaurant cleaner, said the family’s only goal is to stay in the U.S. as long as Sofia’s treatment requires.
The Independent has contacted U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for comment.
