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It definitely sounds like there's a huge culture gap between you and her parents. Sounds to me as if they are immigrants with more traditionalist ideals and your girlfriend is, more or less, a first-generation American who's not so routed in that tradition. Its a very delicate and potentially explosive situation.
I can't sit here and say "Oh my God, her parents are so unfair! That's so mean!" because honestly, its how they were raised and how their parents were raised, and so forth. Wanting to preserve a bit of their own culture is admirable, but I think not at the expense of your own child's happiness. Bottom line, they're concerned parents and they're just looking out for her. I don't suspect her turning 18 will magically cure all of her problems. She'll still be their daughter, and regardless of legality, she'll probably still feel as if she'll have to live up to their standards.
I think you need to have a talk with her parents. If not in person, at least by way of handwritten letter. They may very well see you as just an outsider who is trying to take their daughter away, and not the man their daughter has chosen to love. Show them you're responsible, kind, compassionate, honorable and worthy of their daughter.
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