Paterson mom can remain in US to handle medical care for 4-year-old daughter's kidney
PATERSON — A Dominican immigrant living in the city has received permission to extend her stay in this country so her young daughter can get life-changing medical care, federal officials recently decided.
Betsaida Dilenia Polanco Polonia said her 4-year-old daughter, Caroline Andra Arroyo Polanco, is a United States citizen who was born with a right kidney that’s double the ordinary size, a birth defect that causes the little girl severe pain and frequent infections, her mother said.
Doctors in the Dominican Republic said Caroline would be best off getting medical care in the United States, prompting their move to this country on a visa, Polonia said.
The mother’s visa expired late last year. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services last month granted her a two-year deferral on her immigration status.
“This could not have come fast enough,” said Polonia’s lawyer, Gintare Grigaite. “She’s now protected.”
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In early February, Caroline went through surgery that tried to resolve her kidney problem. But the procedure was not successful, Grigaite said, and the little girl now may need another operation.
As part of its deferral decision, Citizenship and Immigration Services said Polonia can seek employment in the United States, her lawyer said.
But for now, that’s not realistic, because the mother must spend so much time caring for her young child, Grigaite said. The lawyer is now looking into the possibility of getting permission for Polonia’s mother to come to Paterson, so she could care for her grandchild while her daughter works.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson mom can stay in US to handle daughter's medical needs
