Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) - Our first case is a success!

We are thrilled to announce that we have secured our first grant of guardianship for a minor in a Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) case. This is a major victory for our client, who is now eligible to apply for her permanent residence and provide stability for her future.

SIJS is a form of immigration relief that is available to certain undocumented minors who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by one or both parents.

As part of our SIJS petition, we also requested that the court grant guardianship to our client's aunt, who had been her sole provider since her abandonment by her biological parents at an early age. Guardianship will allow the aunt to make decisions about her niece's education, health care, and other important matters and give her the protection she needs.

The Immigration Resource Center of San Gabriel Valley strives to provide legal services to the most vulnerable members of our immigrant community, and with our newly expanded scope of services, we can now start providing assistance to SIJS-eligible undocumented minors with their family court proceedings, including guardianship, parentage, and custody, as part of their overall service plan to ultimately secure permanent residence. If you have questions or would like to help, email info@ircsgv.org.