MIRAMAR, Fla. – A terminally ill domestic worker from Honduras who moved to South Florida 15 years ago fears that she might be deported.
The 49-year-old woman will have to wait another two weeks to find out whether she will be allowed to stay in the U.S. or be sent back to Honduras.
There was a great deal of fear Monday that Reyna Gomez was going to be taken into custody after a hearing with immigration officials in Miramar.
Gomez, along with her attorney, were given weeks to come up with proof of her medical condition and provide government paperwork from her native Honduras.
Gomez arrived in the U.S. illegally 12 years ago.
She said she requested asylum and was denied, and that an application for a humanitarian visa is still pending.
Monday's decision, while not final, is a sigh of relief for the Gomez family.
"We didn't know what was going to happen," Gomez said. "The case worker was very nice and said, 'It's OK. Nothing bad is going to happen. We are going to help you.'"
Gomez will have to return to the immigration office in three months if the decision is not favorable. If it is, she will have to return to the office in a year.
Gomez is currently undergoing treatment for a rare blood disorder, a condition the family said doctors in Honduras are unable to treat.
They argue that sending her back to Honduras would put her life in jeopardy.
Gomez was given a worker's permit for the next couple of months.
A final decision on her case is expected in two weeks.