Ilap’s impact: immigrant youth
The path to lawful immigration status is often a complicated one, and ILAP believes that no child or young person should face the immigration system alone. Through our Immigrant Children’s Project, we offer legal representation and assistance to more than 150 immigrant children and youth in Maine each year.
Photo by Amir Hosseini on Unsplash.
In fall 2020, we launched our Immigrant Children’s Project and expanded access to legal representation for vulnerable immigrant children and youth across Maine who may qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS).
SIJS is a pathway to permanent residency for children and youth under 21 who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent. It can open doors to life-changing opportunities at a critical time in a young person’s life, but the application process is complex, difficult to navigate without an attorney, and made more harrowing because eligible children and youth have often survived significant trauma.
“It’s a very confusing process that requires multiple courts and multiple lawyers. This Project is providing continuity and support for youth in Maine and will ensure no young person slips through the cracks.”
ILAP’s past advocacy work to align state and federal law in relation to SIJS has meant more Maine youth are eligible for this unique pathway. However, systemic barriers remain. There are currently thousands of youth who have been granted SIJS nationally, but are still at risk of deportation because of a years-long green card backlog.
The project now provides legal guidance and representation to more than 150 young people in various stages of their SIJS cases. Building on this success, we aim to help more youth by growing our Pro Bono Panel and deepening community outreach across the state.
To read more about ILAP’s Immigrant Children’s Project, check out the cover story New Project Helps Next Generation in our Spring 2021 newsletter!
Support Our Work
ILAP’s community makes this work possible. With our new Immigrant Children’s Project and your continued support, we will have more opportunities to help kids achieve safety, stability, and a brighter future. We hope you’ll join us in advancing justice for immigrant youth in Maine!