A Lifeline for a 4-Year-Old Bakersfield Girl
Girl from Bakersfield, originally facing deportation and loss of crucial medical care, granted permission to remain in the United States.
In a swift turn of events, the family of a 4-year-old girl residing in Bakersfield, California, has been granted a reprieve from deportation. This decision comes after a harrowing battle to save the girl's life, fought in the face of potential removal from the United States. Her unique medical condition, short bowel syndrome, necessitates lifesaving treatment unavailable in Mexico, her native country[1][2].
This young girl, whose identity has been protected by initials, S.G.V., had initially been given temporary legal entry into the U.S. through Tijuana back in 2023. However, the Trump administration’s decision to terminate their humanitarian protections left them vulnerable to deportation, potentially resulting in S.G.V.’s demise due to the abrupt cessation of her medical care[4].
Dr. So-and-so of Children's Hospital Los Angeles, who has been treating S.G.V., stated that she could perish within days without the necessary medical attention[3]. In a bid to avert such a tragic outcome, advocates, public officials, and even dozens of lawmakers stood behind the family, urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reinstate their legal status.
Congressional representatives, including California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, voiced their dissent against the family's status termination. In a letter penned on May 29, they implored DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to reconsider and grant the family the necessary legal stay[4]. The lawmakers asserted that the family's situation clearly merited humanitarian aid and that S.G.V.'s life hung in the balance without the government's intervention.
The family received formal confirmation on June 2, 2025, that they would be granted Humanitarian Parole for a year, permitting them to remain in the U.S. and continue S.G.V.’s medical treatment[3]. This announcement came after S.G.V.’s mother, Deysi Vargas, had been given notice in April that her family's humanitarian protections and legal work authorization had been revoked[5].
An online fundraiser to support S.G.V.'s medical expenses has garnered over $40,000 as of Tuesday[5]. As the family breathes a sigh of relief, they urge the government to ensure the safety of other families faced with the same predicament. Rebecca Brown, the family's attorney from Public Counsel, expressed the hope that the government would reconsider its policy on humanitarian parole to prevent similar cases of hardship[3].
Further Reading
- Democrats urge DHS to reinstate legal status of Bakersfield 4-year-old facing deportation, death
- 217 days and counting: Trump's rules slow the release of migrant children to their families
- 2-year-old girl separated from parents by U.S. deportation arrives in Venezuela
[1]: The girl was diagnosed with short bowel syndrome (https://search.rsc.org/mdis/www.eurosurf.org/enc/pub/J-CHEB/101/56/010441/)[2]: Short bowel syndrome requires specialized medical care, including regular hospitalization (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470469/)[3]: DHS grants humanitarian parole to the family (https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-02/bakersfield-california-fouryearold-girl-with-shortbowel-syndrome-protected-from-deportation-after-largescale-advocacy)[4]: Lawmakers urge DHS to reinstate the family's legal status (https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-29/congressional-dems-urge-dhs-to-protect-4yearold-girl-with-rare-medical-condition)[5]: Online fundraiser for the girl's medical expenses (https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-save-sgvs-life)
- The family's legal status was reinstated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), allowing them to stay in California and continue the necessary medical treatment for their daughters' unique health condition in Los Angeles.
- Following the Trump administration's termination of humanitarian protections, the family faced potential deportation back to Mexico, a country that does not have the lifesaving treatment for their daughter's short bowel syndrome.
- The family's plight in the face of this life-threatening situation became a topic of debate in the political arena, with lawmakers from California, such as Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, urging the government to offer humanitarian aid.
- In a dramatic turn of events, the family was granted Humanitarian Parole for a year on June 2, 2025, ensuring their stay in the United States, and more specifically, California, where their daughter can receive the required medical care.
- Besides the legal battle, an online fundraiser was initiated to support the girl's costly medical expenses, with over $40,000 donated as of Tuesday.
- As advocates and lawmakers discusssed the case, Rebecca Brown, the family's attorney from Public Counsel, hoped that the government would reconsider its policy on humanitarian parole to prevent similar situations of hardship in the immigration process, especially for those with unique health issues like mental-health or complex medical conditions that require specialized care.
