Bianka M. v. Superior Court of L. A. Cnty.

At the age of 10, petitioner Bianka M., a native and citizen of Honduras, entered the United States unaccompanied and without prior authorization. After a brief detention by federal authorities, she was reunited with her mother, who had left Honduras for the United States many years before. In a family court action naming her mother as the respondent, Bianka asked for an order placing her in her mother's sole custody. She also asked the court to issue findings that would enable her to seek "special immigrant juvenile" status under federal immigration law-a classification that permits…