Representative Adriano Espaillat Welcomes Brother of 10-Year-Old U.S. Citizen Deported While Fighting Rare Brain Cancer as State of the Union Guest 

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) will host Fernando Hernández García* as his guest for the State of the Union, elevating the story of a 10-year-old U.S. citizen with rare brain cancer who was deported while seeking urgent medical care. 

Fernando, a United States citizen, was just 18 years old when his family was torn apart during a medical emergency. His younger sister, Sara*, was only 10 years old and battling a rare and life-threatening form of brain cancer when she was detained and deported while the family was traveling in search of specialized treatment. Instead of receiving the care she needs in the United States, Sara has been forced to continue her fight for survival from Mexico, where critical medications and specialized care remain impossible to access. 

“I am honored to bring Fernando Hernandez as my guest to tonight’s State of the Union in honor of his sister, Sara, and their family,” said Rep. Espaillat. “As one of six children, Fernando was forced into adulthood at 17 when his entire family was removed to Mexico while seeking medical care for his younger sister, Sara, who suffers from a rare brain cancer. Their family has been put through a harrowing ordeal as Fernando has lived on his own, finished high school, and worked to maintain his family’s home and keep up with bills, while helping cover the cost of life saving medication his sister. His presence today is a powerful reminder that behind every policy debate are real families who deserve compassionate and commonsense solutions that keep loved ones together and ensure children can access critical care.” 

“The situation has been a nightmare that I can’t wake up from, that my family can’t wake up from. My baby sister needs to see her doctors: but she needs to get care alongside her family. I need my family to come home. I’m 18 years old; I still need the support of my parents, I need to be around for my siblings. I’ve been dreaming of going to college or trade school, but that isn’t something I can do without my support system- both financially or emotionally. You can say all you want that these awful immigration policies don’t impact US citizens, but that’s a lie. My family was torn apart from me, and my future along with them. If my parents were still here, they would have pushed me to go to college, to dream big, and they would have helped me make it happen. Now, I don’t even have time to think about that. My baby sister could die as a result of this. I need my family to come home: save my sister’s life, end this nightmare for me and for all the other families like mine, who just want to live an honest life and work hard for a better future,” said Fernando Hernández García. 

Fernando’s presence at the State of the Union underscores the urgent need for humane, common sense immigration solutions that protect U.S. citizen children and families facing medical crises. 

In May 2025, Espaillat, in his capacity as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, led a delegation to Monterrey, Mexico, to meet directly with the Hernández family and witness firsthand the devastating impact of Sara’s deportation. In June 2025, the Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP), in partnership with a local immigration attorney, filed humanitarian parole applications for Fernando’s parents and his Mexican national sister. As of February 2026, those applications remain pending. 

*Aliases are used to protect the Hernández family’s safety in Mexico.

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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov