An Iranian baby once barred from entering the U.S. to receive heart surgery because of President Donald Trump's travel ban is doing well since undergoing an operation in Portland in mid-February, an Oregon lawmaker said Friday.
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici shared photos on Twitter and Facebook of Fatemeh Reshad taken at her Beaverton office and wrote that the girl, now about a year old, is "thriving" since her surgery at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital to correct a heart defect.
The girl and her family visited with Bonamici for about 20 minutes, said spokeswoman Ali Mayeda. The family wanted to thank Bonamici in person for her efforts in helping the baby get clearance to travel to the U.S.
Bonamici was part of a group of lawmakers who wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to get the government to grant the baby and her family an exception.
The girl has relatives who live in Portland. Her family had planned to meet with doctors in the city in early February before the travel ban barred immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran.
Fatemeh was born with a congenital heart disease that affects 2 in 10,000 newborns and is fatal without treatment.
The child's story gained national publicity. Lawyers, politicians and doctors intervened on her behalf.
The family received a waiver on the same day a judge in Washington state imposed a temporary restraining order on the travel ban.
OHSU doctors told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the girl would likely live "a full and active life" after surgery.
-- Everton Bailey Jr.
ebailey@oregonian.com
503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey