Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS): What Changed and What You Need to Know

What Is SIJS?

SIJS is a humanitarian pathway for minors (usually under 18 or state-specific mature age) who have suffered abuse, neglect, or abandonment by one or both parents—and who have a juvenile court order declaring it's not in their best interest to return to their home country. If granted, SIJS allows eligible youths to apply for a green card, regardless of whether they entered or stayed in the U.S. unlawfully USCIS+7Wikipedia+7Reddit+7.

Eligibility and Application Steps
To qualify:

• You must be in the U.S.
• A state juvenile court must find that you’ve faced abuse, neglect, or abandonment and that reunification isn’t safe.
• You apply using Form I‑360 while still a minor (age limit depends on state)—though you may age out before final green card approval, which is allowed under recent policy updates Wikipedia+1USCIS+1.

Once approved, you may apply for a green card and an employment authorization document (EAD) if a visa is available and you meet any admissibility requirements Wikipedia.

SIJS — The Promise and the Backlog
SIJS does not grant lawful status by itself; it makes you eligible to apply for it. Green card waits are long due to per-country and annual limits under the EB‑4 category. As of early 2025, more than 100,000 youths with approved SIJS are waiting years—often five or more—for a visa number VisaVerge+15Reason.com+15AP News+15.

Recent Changes: Fraud Crackdown & Deferred Action Reversal
On July 24, 2025, USCIS released a report revealing serious abuses and fraud in the SIJS program, including:

• Age and identity falsification
• Petitions from known or suspected gang members (including hundreds linked to MS‑13 and other gangs) nipnlg.org+3USCIS+3hstoday.us+3

In response, USCIS ended automatic deferred action and work authorization for SIJS beneficiaries as of June 6, 2025. Existing deferred action will generally expire and will not be renewed—leaving thousands vulnerable to deportation and without legal work authorization during the green card backlog period nipnlg.org+1TIME+1.

Legal Response: Lawsuits and Advocacy
Following this policy shift:

• Nine SIJS youth joined legal advocacy groups filing suit in the Eastern District of New York to restore deferred action protections. The lawsuit highlights that nearly 150,000 SIJS beneficiaries could be harmed by losing these protections El País+4AP News+4TIME+4.
• Lawmakers, including Senators from California and Nevada, have demanded public explanations, citing increased detentions of SIJS recipients El País+1TIME+1.

What This Means for SIJS Applicants and Beneficiaries

• If you're applying for SIJS now or already approved, it's more important than ever to be fully honest and accurate in your application—fraud allegations could lead to denials and legal consequences VisaVerge.
• Seek experienced legal help. Tightened USCIS scrutiny means proper documentation and legal guidance are vital.
• Without deferred action, there’s no guaranteed protection from deportation while awaiting a green card.
• The backlog continues—some advocates have recommended filing a mandamus lawsuit if USCIS fails to adjudicate your Form I‑360 within the legally required 180 days