After facing deportation and death, Sofia has been granted a one-year humanitarian parole.
LOS ANGELES, CA, June 3, 2025 — Last week, following extensive media coverage and a groundswell of public support, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) contacted Rebecca Brown, attorney of record from Public Counsel, to discuss processing a new application for humanitarian parole for Sofia*, a 4-year-old girl with a rare, life-threatening condition.
Sofia and her family entered the United States legally in 2023 under humanitarian parole to receive specialized care not available in Mexico. Thanks to that treatment, she is now stable and thriving. But in April 2025, the federal government abruptly revoked her parole and ordered her family to leave the country immediately—despite her doctors’ warning that interrupting her care would lead to her death within days.
The abrupt cancellation triggered urgent action by Public Counsel and garnered international attention after Sofia’s mother, Deysi, courageously spoke out and shared their story with the media. Her strength and willingness to step into the spotlight at a time of fear and uncertainty sparked widespread public support and prompted swift engagement from elected officials and, ultimately, USCIS.
On Friday, May 30, Sofia and her mother, Deysi, attended a biometrics appointment at the USCIS Bakersfield field office. This morning, Tuesday, June 3, they received official notice:
“This is to advise you that effective June 2, 2025, you have been granted Humanitarian Parole for a period of one year. The parole will expire on June 1, 2026.”
The family’s attorneys—Public Counsel’s Gina Amato Lough, Directing Attorney, and Rebecca Brown, Staff Attorney—released the following statement in response to today’s decision:
“We are grateful that USCIS acted swiftly to grant Sofia and her mother one year of humanitarian parole. By moving quickly, the agency has ensured that a four‑year‑old girl can continue receiving her life-saving medical treatment. We commend USCIS for its responsiveness and for recognizing the urgency of this situation.
“While we celebrate this victory, we cannot ignore the systemic challenges that brought Sofia to the brink. Her parole was terminated without warning, and for weeks there was no functional avenue to alert USCIS that a child’s life was in danger. It took an international outcry and pressure from elected officials to get a response—something that used to take a single phone call.
“Sofia’s story is one of many, but life‑or‑death decisions like hers aren’t always visible. Many families who seek refuge in the United States are fleeing threats you can’t see and, while their wounds may be invisible, the danger they face is every bit as real.
“Our immigration system must protect everyone facing life‑threatening harm. We cannot let this country turn its back on our immigrant neighbors seeking safety, justice, and a fair chance at life. We urge USCIS to build on this momentum—reopening accessible lines of communication, preventing wrongful terminations before they spiral into crises, and ensuring that every family facing imminent harm receives the prompt consideration Sofia received—because saving Sofia was never just about one child; it’s about what kind of nation we choose to be.”
*“Sofia” is a pseudonym to protect the child’s privacy.
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For media inquiries, email Faith with Rise Strategy Group here.
About Public Counsel
Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.
