Congressman DeSaulnier Announces House Passage of Private Bill for Isabel Bueso
SAN FRANCISCO EAST BAY AREA, CA (June 10, 2022) — Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) has announced that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill he authored that would allow Isabel Bueso and her family to remain in the United States so Isabel can continue to receive treatment for her rare, life-threatening disease (H.R. 785).
Isabel’s story rose to national prominence when the Trump Administration cancelled deferred action, which led to people like her with rare, life-threatening diseases facing deportation. The bill must be passed by the U.S. Senate before the end of the year to be signed into law.
“I have been proud to advocate for Isabel in Congress to ensure she and her parents are able to continue living in the United States lawfully as they have for 19 years so that Isabel can receive life-saving care only available to her here,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “Isabel has dedicated herself to protecting and supporting others and I can think of nobody more deserving. While I am delighted the House has passed this critical bill, I call on the Senate to immediately pass this legislation and grant Isabel and her parents permanent peace of mind.”
“I’m grateful to Congressman DeSaulnier for his support in passing the bill that will help our family to permanently reside in this country. I’m pleased that the bill passed the House, and I call on the Senate to take the same action,” said Isabel Bueso.
Life-saving treatment
Isabel came to the United States legally from Guatemala in 2003 to receive life-saving treatment as part of a medical trial for Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome, also known as Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VI. Since then, she and her family have resided lawfully in the East Bay and her participation in those trials has helped identify an effective, life-saving treatment, which the drug manufacturer says Isabel cannot receive in Guatemala. If Isabel were to return to Guatemala, she would not survive.
Isabel is a summa cum laude graduate from Cal State East Bay and an advocate for patients with rare diseases. Before her treatment was discovered, Isabel was only expected to live to 7 years old. She is now 26.