Peruvian family with sick son in North Texas gets extension in immigration case

A family from Peru who had been ordered to leave the U.S. this Friday has received a reprieve.

Since FOX 4 first reported on Rodrigo Ruiz’s case last week, it has become one of international interest.

PREVIOUS STORY: Family from Peru with son battling cerebral palsy fighting to stay in U.S.

Ruiz has been fighting to stay in North Texas so his son can receive the best possible medical care. He recently received an extension while his immigration case gets a further review.

Supporters chanted as Ruiz and his attorneys went to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to file a 500-page additional application for stay of removal so he can continue in the U.S. with his family.

“I’m here for some miracle,” he said. “I believe in this country.”

Ruiz came to the U.S. from Peru on a visitor visa in 2004 and brought his profoundly challenged son, Adrian. He was granted a work permit and maintains three jobs to pay for Adrian’s medical care, but he overstayed his visa and received a deportation decision in 2011 that had been stayed the past seven years because of his son's severe cerebral palsy and other ailments.

Adrian arrived in the U.S. at 10 years old in 2005.

“Adrian is 24 years old because of the medical care he's able to receive here in the United States," said George Rodriguez, Ruiz’s attorney.

President Donald Trump tweeted overnight of a coming crackdown on people here illegally. He said, “next week ICE will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States.”

“This is the tip of the iceberg of that policy,” Rodriguez said. “What’s happened is this is the result of a blanket policy where you don’t take prosecutorial discretion into consideration. You don’t look at the humanitarian factors. These are the results.”

The results working out in their favor — at least temporarily.

ICE is taking a second look at the application filed on Tuesday by attorney Michelle Saenz-Rodriguez. She’s hoping the 500-page thick report will have a better picture of the health challenges facing Ruiz’s son and what would happen if the father had to go back to Peru.

“In my 28 years of immigration law practice, this is probably the most compelling humanitarian case that I’ve ever seen,” Saenz-Rodriguez said.

There is no ruling yet on the review of the additional application by immigration officers. A final decision about the case will be decided on September 18.