An immigrant, who was a 7-year-old child when she illegally entered the U.S. with her parents, is now a 21-year-old mother and a widow. Her husband was an American, who died in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, while helping his wife meet U.S. residency and citizenship requirements.

The couple fell in love in a Southwestern U.S. high school. Marriage followed the birth of a son three years ago. The major life events sparked a desire within the teenage mother and wife to seek citizenship. She began to study the process through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The immigrant realized that being married to an American opened a path to her goal, but the legal way was not easy. She would have to return to her native land of Mexico in order to gain U.S. permanent residency and eventual citizenship. Her illegal entry into America meant that the Mexican exile would be indefinite. The young woman agreed to leave the U.S. with hopes of returning to her husband and son upon the approval of a hardship waiver.

A waiver from federal officials may be granted to immigrant spouses who prove their families endure substantial hardships without them. Convinced she had no alternative other than remaining in the country illegally, the teen left to live with her grandmother in Juarez, a violent and dangerous city, where thousands of murders are recorded each year.

The immigrant's husband moved to Mexico last year with the couple's son. The American pleaded with consulate officials to let the family leave the "perilous" situation in Juarez.

The immigrant's husband was dead within six months, the victim of a shooting outside the family's residence. After her husband's death, the widow received a green card and returned with her son to the U.S.

A USCIS proposal to cut down the time children and spouses are separated during immigration processing is under consideration. Official approval would allow some immigrant spouses to file hardship waiver applications before leaving the U.S., shortening the international, family separation time.

Source: edition.cnn.com, "Dangerous path to legal status for some immigrants," Kiran Khalid, Feb. 9, 2012