Marrying an illegal immigrant in Illinois

I have had a girlfriend for about a year and a half. We are planning on getting married in 2008. Currently I am a student and will be at the time of marriage. She lives in Michigan and was brought over here by her family at the age of four on a tourist visa her family ended up staying and never left. She grew up here and finished high school. Right now we are both under the age of 21, I had heard that if you marry an illegal alien before they are 21 that the process is easier ,and the person you are applying for will not have to leave the country. Is this true? Also I know that you have to show that you can support the person you are applying for will me being a student be taken into consideration?

Does your girlfriend have proof of legal entry into the US when she was a Child...now it is called an I-94..not sure what it may have been back then. It is important that she can prove legal entry/inspection into the US. If she can, once you are married, she can file to adjust the status. If she entered legally, and you have married and filed to adjustment, she will not have to leave the country first. Assuming all goes well with the application, she will receive a conditional permanent residency card in about 6 months.

Yes, SOMEONE has to prove and guarantee support. If you are a student at the time of petition and do not meet the minimum requirements to support your wife, perhaps your parents can sign, or other relatives? It is a commitment on their part, so it not something to be taken lightly.