The CILA team created a new youth-facing resource to help explain the steps a youth will take while seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)—from initially finding an attorney, to filing for SIJS, and ultimately to becoming a lawful permanent resident. While the process may not look the same for everyone, the resource summarizes the process in ten steps that apply in most cases. The team designed the resource with a colorful layout that uses graphics and straightforward language to be more accessible for youth.
SIJS is an important humanitarian form of legal relief available to immigrant children, yet the process can sometimes be hard to understand, and there are frequently long waiting periods that youth must endure. This can be confusing to youth as they go through the process over many years.
As a capacity building organization, CILA completed this project on behalf of stakeholders who requested a handout to explain the processes involved and empower youth while they wait for a green card. The CILA team hopes that the resource will also help others looking for a similar tool for youth. The resource is available in both English and Spanish. There is a printable PDF handout available with QR codes that go to CILA webpages specifically created for this project.
View the new project here:
- “Pathway to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) and a Green Card” English PDF of the handout and related webpage with more detail
- “El Camino Hacia el Estatus par Jóvenes Inmigrantes Especiales (SIJS) y la Residencia Permanente” Spanish PDF of the handout and related webpage with more detail
The new resource is featured on CILA’s youth webpage, which is available in English and Spanish. CILA’s youth page provides resources and information specific to immigrant youth. The purpose is to provide a one-stop webpage that has key, basic information on understanding the U.S. immigration system, important links to find case status information for immigration cases, and to seek help, if needed.
We encourage nonprofit organizations, along with pro bono attorneys, and other stakeholders to share this new resource with immigrant youth as they explain the steps involved to seek SIJS and wait for a green card.