Comment to Oppose Termination of Deferred Action for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Youth
By Priya Pandey
CLASP submitted a public comment opposing the termination of Deferred Action for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) youth, warning that the policy change would undermine critical protections for some of the nation’s most vulnerable immigrant children and young people. SIJS was created by Congress to protect children who have experienced abuse, abandonment, or neglect and for whom a court has determined that returning to their country of origin is not in their best interest.
Our comment explains how ending deferred action would increase the risk of deportation, eliminate access to work authorization, and leave thousands of SIJS-approved youth more vulnerable to labor exploitation and prolonged instability while they remain stuck in years-long green card backlogs. CLASP urges USCIS to preserve these protections so that young people can access the safety, stability, and opportunity Congress intended when it created the SIJS program.