Child Friendly Immigration Resources: For Children in DUCS¹ Foster Care
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ] for SIJS Applicants, and “Video Clips” of youth who have applied for SIJS in New York City; from Columbia University Law School Child Advocacy and Immigration Clinic (New York, New York).
- Contents: This secure Web site houses SIJS resources for youth in
New York City foster care, including an ”FAQ” document for youth
answering common questions about SIJS in relation to getting a work
permit and Social Security number, college financial aid, past arrests,
illnesses, etc. There are also brief SIJS Web pages in Chinese and
Spanish, as well as very compelling videos of New York City youth
who were in foster care and have received SIJS.
- DUCS Relevance: These resources are New York City specific, and
the FAQ document answers some questions that other documents do not address. The video clips (see left column on the home page of this resource link) may be the most helpful element. Although they are in English, SIJS-applicant
youth may be encouraged to see and hear other youth like themselves who have overcome similarly difficult circumstances and who have
persevered through the lengthy SIJS process.
Guide for Immigrant Juveniles, from University of Houston Law Center, Immigration Clinic (Houston, TX); available from Anne Chandler at: achandler@central.uh.edu
- Contents: A 9-page document (not Web-based) answering basic
questions for youth in detention, including reasons for detention,
family reunion, attorneys, routes to legal status, and removal.
Available in English and Spanish.
- DUCS Relevance: This document is most useful to kids who are still
in DUCS shelter care. The sections on “How will my attorney help
me?” and “How can I legally remain in the United States” could be
helpful to DUCS foster care youth as well, especially since it is
translated into Spanish.
Immigration and You: A Manual for Children, from National Immigrant Justice Center (formerly MIHRC; Chicago, IL)
- Contents: An 18-page free downloadable brochure with drawings,
targeting children and youth at the International Children’s Center
(ICC); includes definitions; uses a “FAQ” format to discuss shelter
care, family reunion, attorneys, routes to legal status, removal, and
legal help in major US cities. Available in English and Hindi.
- DUCS Relevance: The information is geared towards children in
federal custody, however it is specific to ICC shelter care. The
descriptions of SIJS, asylum and trafficking are very basic (2-3
sentences). This represents a good model of a child-friendly
document.
Immigration Options for Undocumented Children, from Immigrant Legal Resource Center (San Francisco, CA)
- Contents: A 12-page free downloadable collection of fact sheets on
SIJS, VAWA, Family Visas, U Visas, US Citizenship, Asylum and TPS,
with a few Web resources listed at the end; geared towards an adult
audience.
- DUCS Relevance: Although this is geared towards an adult audience,
it provides a useful, succinct summary of relevant legal routes for
children. Some of this information (such as on SIJS and asylum)
could be useful with more savvy teens, or as an aid to caseworkers
answering basic questions about SIJS.
Immigration: What Teens Need to Know, from Public Counsel Law Center (Los Angeles, CA)
- Contents: A 16-page free downloadable brochure that includes
definitions of immigration terms and ways to obtain a green card,
including SIJS and asylum; uses a “FAQ” format to answer common
questions in a youth-friendly format; includes a few drawings. The
resources listed are Los Angeles specific. Available in English and
Spanish.
- DUCS Relevance: This booklet is geared towards undocumented
youth in the Los Angeles area. However, certain sections have
general applicability, such as the definitions section and the
descriptions of SIJS and asylum.
Living in the United States: A Guide for Immigrant Youth, from Immigrant Legal Resource Center (San Francisco, CA)
- Contents: This 31-page free downloadable document is youth-friendly
and written for English-speaking adolescents. It provides
straight-forward advice to both undocumented and green-card holding youth, and answers questions about what undocumented, green-card
holders, and U.S. Citizen youth can and cannot do. There are specific
sections on: obtaining a green card and citizenship; deportation; know your rights; adoption; helping family members; military service; voting;
social security numbers; working and paying taxes; public benefits;
getting ID and a driver’s license; college and credit cards.
- DUCS Relevance: This resource includes very brief descriptions of
SIJS, VAWA, T visas, adoption, and family immigration, as routes to a
green card, and focuses more on the impact of one’s immigration
status on practical issues of daily life. It answers teen-centered
questions and may be useful as part of independent living
preparation.
What Happens When I Go To Immigration Court?, from the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children (New York, New York)
- Contents: This 15-minute video uses child and adult actors to convey
basic information about the immigration court process, including: the
roles of the judge, lawyer, interpreter, and government attorney;
different types of legal relief (including SIJS); and what happens in
immigration court. The video is well-done and could be very helpful to
children in immigration court proceedings.
You Are Not Alone, from Lawyers for Children (NY, NY)
- Contents: A flashy 28-page free downloadable brochure; addresses
basic immigration questions; focuses primarily on SIJS but includes
information on other types of status (including asylum, T & U visas);
includes information on the SIJS bar to parental immigration and
discusses how long the SIJS application can take; includes a
glossary at the back; resources and description of the family court
process are NYC specific.
- DUCS Relevance: This booklet could be very useful to SIJS-applicant
youth. However, it will require a strong command of English, or a
translator. A Spanish translation is reportedly in production.
¹ “DUCS” refers to children in programs funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s (ORR) Division of Unaccompanied Children’s Services programs.
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Last updated: May 2008
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