Nataly Montano, who graduated in June from Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Va., with a 4.3 grade-point average, has her mind set on becoming a doctor.

Montano is in the country illegally. Her family brought her from Bolivia when she was 6, and the prospect of finding a college, medical school, residency program and hospital that would allow her to study and work was overwhelming. The family even considered moving back to Bolivia.

On Wednesday, those plans were thrown out when Montano joined thousands of people around the country who applied for a new federal program that could grant up to 1.7 million illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children a reprieve from deportation.

More from Alan Gomez, USA TODAY

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