Immigration and Juvenile Justice
What to Expect When Attending Juvenile Court: Practical Guidance for Immigrant Youth and Families Interacting with the Juvenile Justice System
A young person learning that they are being summoned to appear in juvenile court can be stressful. This is especially the case when a young person is from an immigrant background, as court involvement can carry any number of collateral consequences that can have a significant impact on that young person’s present and future outcomes. This includes the possibility of detention, deportation or permanent barriers to gaining lawful status in the United States for youth from immigrant backgrounds, especially those who are undocumented. This document provides an overview of the juvenile court’s delinquency process and factors that a youth and their parent or guardian should consider while navigating the juvenile court process in order to, as much as possible, mitigate the possibility of harmful consequences that could result from court contact.
Know Your Rights when confronted by ICE - guide from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has created a guide with 5 key reminders about your constitutional rights when confronted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Emergency Planning for Parents or Guardians with Uncertain Immigration Status
Guidance from the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General to support and assist parents or guardians with uncertain immigration status to plan ahead by preparing helpful legal documents in advance to ensure that their children are safe and cared for in emergency situations such as an arrest or detention.
Guide to the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) Process
SIJS is a classification given to some immigrant youth under the age of 21 who have suffered abuse, neglect, or abandonment by one or both of their parents or caretakers. If approved, the applicant can apply for a green card and may be able to obtain permanent legal resident status. View this guide for more information on the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) Process.
Intersection of Immigration and Juvenile Justice
When a young person is adjudicated in the juvenile legal system, that decision remains with them far beyond the conclusion of the case. The "collateral consequences" of being found delinquent in a juvenile court matter can create barriers to education, employment, military service, and public benefits, greatly hampering the ability to learn and move on youthful mistakes as they step into adulthood. This overview explores how these collateral consequences of a juvenile court adjudication pose additional harms for youth from immigrant families