Ind. teen returns to US after visa flap in Mexico

INDIANAPOLIS — A couple dozen relatives and friends greeted an Indiana high school homecoming queen as she arrived back in the state after being stuck in her native Mexico on an immigration technicality.

Frankfort High School senior Elizabeth Olivas arrived early Friday at Indianapolis International Airport.

The 18-year-old told reporters it felt awesome to be back after six weeks in Mexico. Olivas is the salutatorian of her senior class and made it back in time for Saturday’s graduation ceremony.

Olivas has lived in Indiana since she was 4 years old. She traveled to Mexico to meet a requirement that she get a visa or green card within six months of her 18th birthday, but her lawyer says she missed that deadline by one day because of a leap year miscalculation.