Rifqa Bary, the 17-year-old who ran away from her Muslim parents after converting to Christianity, is fighting a legal battle over whether or not she can stay in the U.S.

Bary's parents are blocking her efforts to fight the possibility of deportation back to Sri Lanka.

Bary has said she does not want to be returned to her native homeland out of fear she might be harmed or killed by Muslim extremists.

Her lawyer has asked a Columbus, Ohio judge to sign an order stating reunification with her parents is not possible by her 18th birthday. The order would allow Bary to apply for special immigration status.

However, her parents' attorney has objected, saying the parents already filed an immigration application for the whole family.