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July 15. 2004 10:47AM    Forums  Print this  Email this
Danish teen can't wait to be reunited with her family in Florida


By JAN M. OLSEN
Associated Press Writer

COPENHAGEN, Denmark
16-year-old Danish girl forced to leave her parents and sisters in the United
States because of a quirk in U.S. immigration law was euphoric about being
allowed to return, she told The Associated Press on Thursday.

"I was jumping and hopping when I got the news," Helene Jensen told AP. "I
was euphoric and I still am. I am so happy."

The Jensens had lived in the United States since 1997 under her father's work
visa. When that visa expired in March, an older American-born daughter
sponsored Helene's father, John, and mother in their application to become
permanent residents.

But because Helene, who was born in Denmark, was neither a spouse, parent or
child of her sponsoring sister, she had to face a six- to seven-year wait to
become legal. Because of that loophole, she was deported to Denmark on June
25 and has stayed with her grandmother.

A U.S. Embassy official in Copenhagen called her Wednesday to tell her that
the Department of Homeland Security had granted her humanitarian parole which
will let her return to the United States for a year.

"I understood what he said but somehow I thought it was a dream," she said.
In a statement, the Embassy said the parole "permits persons who do not
qualify for visas to enter the United States temporarily for up to one year
on the basis of compelling humanitarian reasons."

Helene who immediately called her parents Wednesday, suffers from juvenile
rheumatoid arthritis and can only get the experimental medication she needs
there.

In West Palm Beach, the family said it would work to make her stay permanent
after her yearlong reprieve expires.

Jensen said she hopes to fly home to Florida next week.

"I'm not afraid of flying but I don't know anyone on the plane and I don't
know if I can sit down that long," she said.