The U.S. government has decided not to force a migrant Mexican mother and her 4-year-old daughter — who requires special medical care — to leave the country.

After weeks of facing the threat of being deported, an attorney for the girl's family said U.S. immigration officials have granted her and her mother humanitarian parole to remain in the U.S. so she can continue receiving life-saving care.

The child, Sophia, has a serious condition known as short bowel syndrome and has been receiving specialized treatment at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. According to her mother and attorneys, returning to Mexico would have meant losing access to the care Sophia requires and likely would have resulted in hospitalization.

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"We are profoundly grateful that [United States Citizenship and Immigration Services] acted swiftly to grant Sofia and her mother one year of humanitarian parole," the family's attorneys said in a statement. "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."

Sophia and her mother were granted temporary humanitarian parole to enter the United States in 2023, which was expected to last through July 2025. In April, however, the family received a letter from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stating they were no longer permitted to remain in the country and must return to Mexico immediately.

An attorney for the family said Sophia's doctors had "been clear that she will die within days" if forced to return to Mexico.

Sophia’s mother pleded with the government to allow them to remain in the U.S. long enough for her daughter to recover — something doctors believe is possible with continued treatment.

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Scripps News reached out to ICE to ask why the family's humanitarian parole was revoked in the first place, but has not received a response. On Tuesday, however, the government reversed its decision, granting the mother and daughter an additional year to remain in the U.S. on humanitarian grounds.

"Our immigration system must protect everyone facing life‑threatening harm," the family's attorneys stated. "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.”

The Trump administration has said it is reviewing humanitarian parole policies as part of a broader crackdown on immigration. An executive order signed earlier this year states that decisions on such cases will be made on a case-by-case basis.