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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Parents of sick child face deportation to Mexico


Victor and Maria Roa kiss their daughter, Hazelle, on Monday. Hazelle has a disorder that is likely to require specialized care in the U.S., but her parents have been ordered out of the country. Associated Press
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Juliana Barbassa Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO – Seventeen-month-old Hazelle Roa has curly black hair in a pink lacy bow – and a bright yellow feeding tube taped to her cheek.

That’s the only way she can eat because of a little-known genetic abnormality that has kept her in a hospital much of her life. The condition left her with a thyroid deficiency and a heart artery that is too narrow.

Victor and Maria Roa hope their daughter’s life gets easier after delicate surgery today to expand her constricted artery.

But they aren’t sure what will happen to her two weeks later, when the couple is under orders to report to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with their bags packed for a one-way trip to Mexico.

Hazelle, who was born in the U.S., has parents who are illegal immigrants. Hundreds of thousands of families are split by their immigration status, but the Roas’ case comes with a twist: Hazelle’s rare medical condition, which her doctors contend will require a lifetime of specialized care.

“It’s so difficult as a father to think of what will happen to her if we’re detained and she’s in the hospital,” said Victor Roa, 41, who juggles jobs chopping vegetables in a restaurant and driving a truck.

What happens to American children of deportable immigrants – whether they go with their parents or stay with relatives or the state – is up to the family, said Lori Haley, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Roas don’t want to take their daughter away from the team of top-notch physicians at the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center who have followed her case from the beginning. They don’t have other relatives in the U.S., and they can’t imagine leaving her behind.

The Roas crossed the border illegally in 1990 and, following poor legal advice, entered a frivolous case for asylum. In November 2004, the Board of Immigration Appeals ruled they were in the United States illegally.

When they failed to go by the deadline, a deportation order was issued. In May 2007 they got a letter telling them to surrender to immigration authorities on June 26.

The couple despaired. Two weeks before the deadline, they found a new attorney, David Lunas, who employed a new strategy: Hazelle’s health. He argued that the removal order should be canceled under a rule that allows undocumented immigrants to stay if their departure would cause extreme hardship to an American citizen.

After some discussion with immigration authorities, the Roas and their attorney went to the immigration enforcement office on July 3 to request a year’s stay. Six hours later, they left with a new deadline: July 26.

That allows the Roas to be by Hazelle’s side through today’s exploratory heart procedure, when a thin catheter carrying a tiny balloon will open her artery, and a diminutive camera will tell doctors if she needs further surgery.

Lunas is continuing to fight for a longer stay.

In the meantime, Hazelle’s parents are left to cope with the uncertainty and financial burden of their complicated situation. To cover their legal bills, they’ve sold many of their belongings. Hazelle’s medical expenses are mostly covered by a state program that helps low-income children with chronic conditions.