Local Family Relieved After Trump Administration Reinstates Program Protecting Sick Immigrants From Deportation
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- In a rare policy reversal, the Trump Administration announced it will reinstate a program granting a temporary reprieve from deporting immigrants facing life-threatening medical conditions. This news offers some relief for a local family with two boys who have special needs, but they are not out of the woods yet.
Velveth Roman struggled to speak through tears as she deals with a difficult situation. Her family could be deported in less than a year.
She left Guatemala 14 years ago and her husband, Pedro Marin left Mexico with his parents 16 years ago. They made their way to the United States illegally, in search of a better life and settled in Pennsylvania. They have two children, who are U.S. citizens and have severe medical needs.
Marin tells Eyewitness News that he works 75 work weeks to support his family.
Five-year-old Kevin Marin Roman suffers from epilepsy and his 12-year-old brother Luis is living with autism.
The family filed for deferred action for medical reasons, but that expires in August of 2020, and they were not able to reapply for another application.
But, after a massive uproar, the Trump Administration reversed that decision. That is giving some families, like the Marins, hope.
"Most of these are families who have children with cancer mostly, so we were really just shell shocked when that happened," Immigration Lawyer, Audrey Allen said.
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As of now, come August, the Marins will be able to reapply for deferred action for medical reasons.
"There are emergency situations that arise and there are no ways for these families to stay here on a long-term basis, except for deferred action," Allen says. "So that is why it's so important to keep this program alive."
It is programs like deferred action that will allow undocumented immigrants to receive the medical care they need for their American children.
The Marins are hopeful their application will be approved.
