At-Risk Juvenile Petitions in District Court

On June 13, 2022 Governor Walz signed a bill establishing a juvenile guardianship process for at-risk youth ages 18-21. Before, the state of Minnesota only had a process in place for youth under the age of 18. This new law created an avenue for immigrant youth 18-21 years old attempting to gain immigration protection under Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. The new law has created substantial work for the court, family law, guardianship, and immigration attorneys as they help their clients navigate the process while insuring that an accurate record is created to allow for the At-risk juveniles to be able to apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, get a green card, obtain work authorization and eventually apply for U.S. citizenship. 

This CLE will focus on identifying candidates for At-Risk Juvenile Guardianship, identifying proper Guardian(s), and advise on creating a record that will ensure the Juvenile is eligible for SJIS before USCIS.