Jay* is a 20-year-old who enjoys reading, running and particularly, music– not only as a listener, but as a guitarist himself! He learned about LCYC when he sought help with the Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) process.
SIJ is a classification that provides undocumented young people a youth visa, work authorization, and path to United States citizenship. To be eligible for SIJ classification, a young person must: be under age 21, be under a state’s juvenile court’s jurisdiction, be unmarried, have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by at least one parent, and it is in their best interests to not return to their home country. At 20 years old, Jay was close to the cut off for eligibility for SIJ classification and would lose the chance to pursue this youth visa.
Jay was referred by his immigration attorney. Obtaining SIJ classification is a two-step process. One step is in federal court to carry out immigration proceedings. The second step is in state court to get a court order that determines a young person is eligible for SIJS under state law. While LCYC does not practice in federal immigration court, state court actions in juvenile court are our everyday practice. Jay connected with our Immigrant Youth Team, a collective of staff attorneys that specifically represent youth and young adults pursuing SIJ classification. Jay soon began working with his LCYC Legal Advocate, Joanna. Jay and Joanna discussed his situation and embarked on the process to obtain SIJ classification.
Getting started, Jay felt a sense of relief – he could pursue this path to stability and work with someone who could alleviate his apprehensions and doubts navigating the legal system and address questions that arose. Additionally, he was able to connect with Joanna through Jay’s native language, Spanish.
The journey to obtaining SIJ classification was not straightforward for Jay. Jay and Joanna experienced frustrations due to the lack of fair and timely information from the system being navigated, only heightened by the language barrier. There were recurring issues with the court involving language barriers and technological access. Unfortunately, this is common for youth supported by the Immigrant Youth Team. In response, LCYC created Cómo Conectarte con Tu Audiencia de la Corte (How to Connect to Your Court Hearing), a Spanish language video that explains how to access and participate in virtual hearings.
As a remote organization, LCYC supports youth seeking SIJ classification in counties across the state. In counties where SIJ cases are filed rarely, the courts may not have familiarity with the processes for this type of legal issue. On top of a confusing system, Jay’s case took place during a statewide crash of the court system’s platform. Side by side, Jay and Joanna learned together throughout this process and persevered.
Despite the challenges, Jay received his SIJ classification. Jay feels he can now dream big and is excited to see what the future holds!
“Working with LCYC has made me feel protected, more safe, and secure about my future; it’s given me hope, and has allowed me to reach my goals and dreams.”
*The client’s name has been changed to protect their privacy. LCYC was given permission to share their story.