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Governor Walz Ceremonial Signing of Bill Protecting Immigrant Youth
Posted on Jun 13 2022
June 13, 2022—Today Governor Walz will sign Chapter 45, Senate File 2736, establishing a juvenile guardianship process for at-risk youth ages 18 to 21 to help ensure that they receive the resources necessary for their health, safety, and education.
Previously in Minnesota, there were only processes in place for youth under the age of 18. This was an issue for immigrant youth between 18 and 21 years old attempting to gain immigration protection under Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). SIJS is an immigration classification available to certain undocumented immigrants under the age of 21 who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by one or both parents. SIJS is a way for those individuals to apply for and obtain legal permanent residence in the United States.
To become eligible for SIJS, the youth must engage in a proceeding in the Family or Surrogate’s Court in the county where they reside. As part of this proceeding, the youth must obtain a “special findings order” that declares the minor’s eligibility for SIJS. Guardianship is the most common way for the Family Court to obtain jurisdiction over a minor, thus making them eligible to apply for SIJS. Because there was no juvenile guardianship process for youth 18 to 21 in Minnesota, those individuals had to jump through more hoops and wait even longer for protection.
“We celebrate this step towards security for our immigrant clients ages 18 to 21,” said ILCM Executive Director Veena Iyer. “Now, they won’t have to keep their life on hold. They’ll be able to get a green card, obtain work authorization, and eventually apply for U.S. citizenship. We are grateful to the many advocates who worked to get this bill passed.”
The bill passed with resounding bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate.