Born in Texas, Sara Hernández García is a U.S. citizen, but her parents entered the country illegally.

For a while the family of eight had no issue traveling the state to support Sara while she was being treated after a brain tumor diagnosis, according to their attorneys.

“Each time they presented a letter from the hospital describing [Sara’s] condition and asking the parents be allowed through to support her medical treatment,” says Danny Woodward with the Texas Civil Rights Project.

And “each time,” Woodward tells PEOPLE, Customs and Border Protection “allowed them through.”

That all changed in February, soon after President Donald Trump took office and began cracking down on illegal immigration — fulfilling a key campaign promise but stirring major debate, as more and more of the public now say he’s deporting people they didn’t expect.

Woodward says the Garcías (who requested to be identified by pseudonyms over safety concerns) were “stopped at an immigration checkpoint in South Texas while on their way to Houston for an emergency medical checkup” for Sara.

“Even after explaining the situation to immigration officials, they were only given two options: for the government to take their children, or for the family to be deported together,” Woodward says. “The parents and five of their children were detained and deported the following day.”

Their sixth child, a citizen, is now 18 and remains in the U.S.

“We talk to my son daily, but he is alone,” mom María, 41, says. “Not being able to give him a hug and the fear that something can happen to him because he is far away grows every day.”

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A Homeland Security official disputes the family’s account as “inaccurate” but maintains they can’t say more due to privacy concerns.

The Garcías have been staying with relatives in their native Mexico, hoping to be granted humanitarian parole, though they do not know when — or if — such a request may be fulfilled.

“They are very concerned that their children may be targeted for kidnapping because they are U.S. citizens and therefore assumed to have money,” attorney Woodward says.

The Trump administration has repeatedly said their immigration policies are about law enforcement.

“When someone is given expedited removal orders and chooses to disregard them, they will face the consequences as outlined by the expedited removal process for individuals with removal orders,” the Homeland Security official says of the Garcías.

Right now, Sara’s family has been able to access only some of the care she needs as she heals from a successful 2024 surgery on her tumor, they say. Of Sara, her mom says, “The dizziness and the headaches don’t go away. Now, her right arm falls asleep daily.”

And each day, when Sara does wake up, “the first thing she does is thank God for another day of life,” María says.

“Every day she asks, ‘Am I going to die?’ “ María continues. “I have to explain to her that this is a difficult time we’re going through, that she’ll soon have her tests and treatments.” (People)