In Indiana, a high school senior with the initials E.O. should be celebrating her last weekend before graduation with her friends. E.O. was the popular pretty homecoming queen at Frankfort High School, and was set to graduate with her high school degree in June. Yet she was sent back to her native land, Mexico, because of an inspection by the USCIS. According to ABC News, E.O. has lived in the United States since she was 4 years old. Her father is a naturalized citizen. Yet the law states that once E.O. turned 18 she had 180 days to return to Mexico and apply for a long-term visa for America. If she didn't have the visa, then the government could legally list her as an illegal immigrant.

E.O. knew about the law, and travelled back to Mexico in the center of the spring semester so that she could apply for her visa at the Juarez consulate. Unfortunately, by the time they made the trip, they were one day late on the 180 day limit. While that may seem like a minor problem, the government has been rigid. The homecoming queen is now stuck in Mexico for three years, unless she can receive a humanitarian patrol visa waiver. According to E.O., she made it to her homeland a day late because she didn't want to miss too much school. She also blamed the mistake in part on her immigration lawyer, who she says made a date accounting error. The attorney told the press that she had not taken into account that this was a leap year. Because of that, the date that they set for E.O. to apply for a visa was the 181^st day after the turned 18, an occurrence that would only happen every four years. She also said that most legal firms use calendars to track important dates and don't include the special leap day.

E.O. is devastated about her current situation. Chances are that she will miss her graduation and be forced to remain in Mexico, away from her friends and family. She has already been in Mexico for six weeks, missing all sorts of milestones that accompany graduation such as prom, senior parties, and an academic achievement ceremony. The news states that E.O. has one of the highest GPAs in the senior class. She was allegedly given the opportunity to speak at her graduation, though chances are that she will not be able to attend. The principal at E.O.'s school, Frankfort High, said that this is one of the hardest situations he has ever had to deal with. He described E.O. as a very talented, beautiful young lady. E.O.'s friends have been hurt to hear that their friend is going through so much disappointment and can't share her priceless last few days of high school with them.

Right now, E.O. and her father are waiting to see if they will be granted a humanitarian parole visa by the Department of Homeland Security's Citizen and Immigration Services. While her visa would have come from the State Department, these parole visas are a different case and come from a federal source. Waivers can take anywhere from three to eight months to be approved and issued. Even though E.O. special requested a rushed visa, she is not sure if she will obtain it, or if it will be in time to graduate. The humanitarian parole visa is used sparingly to bring someone who is otherwise inadmissible into the United States for a temporary period of time for an emergency. The USCIS can grant this permission to anyone who is applying for admission to the US based on an urgent reason or because there is significant public benefit. The person is only allowed to enter the states temporarily on this visa. Only time will tell whether or not E.O.'s application is enough to get her back to her high school for graduation day.