SIJS (Special Immigrant Juvenile Status)
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) is a humanitarian immigration protection designed for children in the United States who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by one or both parents. SIJS provides a pathway to lawful permanent residence (a green card) for vulnerable young people who cannot safely return to their home countries due to family circumstances.
The SIJS process involves two separate legal systems. First, the child must obtain a Special Findings Order from a state court (typically a juvenile, family, or probate court) that makes specific findings: the child is dependent on the court or has been placed in the custody of a state agency, department, or individual; reunification with one or both parents is not viable due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment; and it would not be in the child's best interest to be returned to their home country.
Second, with the state court order in hand, the child files a petition (Form I-360) with USCIS seeking classification as a Special Immigrant Juvenile. If USCIS approves the I-360 and a visa number is available, the child can then apply for adjustment of status to become a lawful permanent resident.
However, significant backlogs plague the SIJS system. Due to per-country visa limits, children from countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, and Mexico may wait years for a visa number to become available. During this waiting period, children continue to age — and if they turn 21 before their visa becomes current, they risk "aging out" and losing eligibility. Congress has provided some protections against aging out, but the system remains imperfect.
The SIJS backlog is particularly cruel because it affects some of the most vulnerable individuals in the immigration system — children who have already experienced abuse or abandonment and who face prolonged uncertainty about their legal status and future.
Related Terms
LPR (Lawful Permanent Resident)
A foreign national authorized to live and work permanently in the United States, commonly known as a "green card holder." LPRs can be placed in removal proceedings if they commit certain crimes or fraud.
UAC (Unaccompanied Alien Child)
A child under 18 with no lawful immigration status who has no parent or legal guardian in the U.S. available to provide care. UACs are transferred to ORR custody and eventually placed with sponsors while their immigration cases proceed.
Removal Proceedings
The formal process in immigration court where a judge determines whether a foreign national should be ordered removed (deported) from the United States or allowed to remain under some form of relief.
PD (Priority Date)
The date that establishes an immigrant's place in line for a visa. For family-based cases, it's when the petition is filed. For employment-based cases, it varies. Wait times from priority date to visa availability can be decades.