Per the news story: 

"She came to the U.S. alone when she was 17"

"But there’s no way for her as my aunt to apply for me to bring me here, so I didn’t have any other option”

"living in the U.S. unlawfully who took sanctuary to avoid being removed from the country"

What do you think "so I didn't have any other option" means if not "so I chose to enter the US unlawfully???