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Texas girl’s recovery stalled after parents’ deportation to Mexico amid medical crisis
After a life-saving surgery in Houston, an 11-year-old US citizen is now struggling to recover in rural Mexico, following her family’s sudden deportation.
Sara Hernandez Garcia, an 11-year-old American citizen, was recovering from a rare and aggressive brain tumor in Houston when her life took a sharp turn.
In February 2025, her undocumented parents were stopped at a routine immigration checkpoint while driving from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston for one of Sara’s emergency checkups.
Despite presenting medical documents and hospital letters, the entire family, except for their 18-year-old son, was detained and deported to Mexico within 24 hours, reported People.
The family, who had been using pseudonyms for safety, were presented with two choices: surrender their children or leave the country together. They chose to stay together. Now, Sara and four of her siblings, three of whom are also US citizens, live in rural Monterrey with their parents, struggling to access proper medical care.
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Barriers to treatment in Mexico
Sara, as per another NBC report, underwent a complicated surgery in 2024 for a brain tumour caused by a novel, unnamed condition which still baffles doctors. Her recovery needs consistent treatment, including regular MRIs, seizure medication, and physical therapy.
In Texas, the People report added, she had access to specialists who studied her case and focused on her recovery. However, in Mexico, that care has been interrupted. Her family is unable to find the exact seizure medication locally, forcing them to rely on cross-border shipments. MRIs are expensive and scarce as well. Her mother, Maria, was quoted as saying by the outlet that no doctor wants to take on such a big commitment.
Sara now has to bear constant dizziness, memory lapses, weakness in her right arm, and worsening headaches. She is grateful to be alive but often asks her mother if she could die soon, People reported.
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Plea for humanitarian parole
According to NBC, the family is now fighting to return to the United States through a humanitarian parole request which has been submitted to US Citizen and Immigration Services. The application, supported by several Congress members, asked for temporary re-entry of the undocumented parents and their non-citizen child so Sara can access life-saving care. Maria told the publication, “We are not criminals. We simply want to save our daughter.”
FAQs
Why was Sara’s family deported?
They were stopped at an immigration checkpoint and deported under expedited removal orders during a medical emergency trip.
Is Sara a US citizen?
Yes. She was born in Texas. Three of her siblings are also American citizens.
What medical condition does she have?
She had a rare brain tumor due to an unnamed condition requiring continuous treatment and monitoring.
Why can't she get treatment in Mexico?
Her specific medical needs, including the correct medication and specialists, are difficult to access in rural Mexico.
What is humanitarian parole?
It allows temporary legal entry into the US for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.
What happens if the parole request is denied?
Sara may continue to face serious health risks without access to adequate medical care and her family will remain separated from her eldest brother.
