New CILA and KIND Resources: Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) Manuals for Maryland & New Jersey Practitioners

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The information in this blog post is current as of July 7, 2025.

The ABA Children’s Immigration Law Academy (CILA) is very pleased to share two new resources, created in partnership with Kids In Need of Defense (KIND):

These manuals were developed for advocates working on children’s immigration cases to provide a step-by-step overview of how to obtain an order in Maryland or New Jersey state court with special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS) determinations.

CILA account holders can download a free copy of the Maryland manual and appendices here and the New Jersey manual and appendices here. You can create a free CILA account here to access the manuals and the appendices.

The manuals and accompanying appendices are intended for practitioners in the field and pro bono attorneys working on behalf of immigrant youth. They contain a comprehensive overview of state court practice along with tips for how to navigate different types of SIJS cases, an overview of the applicable state and federal laws, and guidance on the procedural requirements. The appendices have been uploaded as a separate file on CILA’s website and include sample documents for filings in Maryland or New Jersey state court.

CILA is grateful to KIND authors Alejandra Morisi, Diana Pak Yi, Lili Eskinazi, Beth Simon, and Chelsey Weber (Maryland manual), and Vanessa Lucas, Kimberly Krone, Denise Buerrosse Jenner, Rebekah Fletcher, and Sara Dunsky (New Jesey manual) for all their work drafting these resources. KIND also sought input from local practitioners when creating the manuals and appreciates their support.

CILA’s State Court Practice Manuals:

These resources are part of CILA’s ongoing series of manuals covering SIJS state court practice in select states. The other manuals are available here: