SERVING CP P S IMMIGRANT POPULATION Meredith Pindar Immigration Legal

SERVING CP&P’S IMMIGRANT POPULATION Meredith Pindar Immigration Legal Specialist Office of Legal & Legislative Affairs NJ Department of Children & Families

STABILITY & PERMANENCY ◦ Sense of safety ◦ Keep families together ◦ Alleviate vulnerability ◦ Ability to work legally ◦ Access to public benefits/ assistance (federal gap) ◦ Health Insurance (Medicaid) ◦ Financial Aid for Education

IDENTIFYING A NEED • Foreign born residents make up 21. 7% of New Jersey’s population according to the most recent U. S. Census (See: http: //www. census. gov/quickfacts/table/PST 045216/34) • DCF/CP&P’s immigrant population? ? • How to recognize when a client might benefit from immigration legal assistance? - social security #? - foreign birth certificate? - unable to provide or unsure about providing identifying documentation

OLD SYSTEM/ NO SYSTEM No centralization Cost: $1, 000 – $5, 000 or more/case + fees No guarantee of quality Not CP&P specific

PARTNERING WITH RUTGERS Centralized legal services & permits tracking the need for assistance in the population CP&P serves MOU Started: May 2016 3 Attorneys: 2 North; 1 South Cases: 205 to date Parameters: children 0 -21; open cases * parents, refer out, see list Priorities: Aging out, Removal Proceedings, Custody

DATA ON CURRENT CASES Total Cases sinception: 205 112 active 22 inactive 14 referred/holding 57 closed

DATA ON REFERRED CASES COUNTRY OF ORIGIN Country Guatemala Number of Cases 37 Honduras 34 Mexico, El Salvador 27 Dominican Republic (10), Haiti (8), Ecuador (7), Colombia (6) Peru (5), Liberia (5), Jamaica (4), China (4), Poland (3), Ivory Coast (3) Jordan, Bahrain, Nigeria, Philippines, India Korea, Ghana, B. V. I. , Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Granada, Chile, Belarus 6 -10 Not Provided 6 205 Total 3 -5 2 1

WHAT RELIEF IS AVAILABLE?

UNDOCUMENTED → LPR Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) - abused, neglected or abandoned children U-Visa – victims of crime Asylum/Refugee – persecuted by gov’t or group T-Visa – victims of human trafficking VAWA – victims of domestic violence

SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE STATUS ● Defined: Immigration and Nationality Act § 101(a)(27)(J) An immigrant who is present in the United States – 1. Under 21 2. Unmarried 3. Declared dependent on the court OR placed under the custody of an agency of a State, an individual, or an entity appointed by the State or juvenile court 4. Reunification w/ 1 or both parents is not viable due to abuse, neglect, abandonment or similar basis under State Law 5. Not in child’s best interest to be returned to country of origin

CP&P CERTIFICATION PROCESS Attorney must provide completed certification for signature & letter request Send Request to Legal Affairs (Meredith Pindar/ Clinton Page); LO Staff are not “designated” Worker/Supervisor provide OLA with info. about the case & cooperation OLA reviews request, info. from LO, NJ Spirit records 11

In Removal Proceedings?

UNACCOMPANIED MINORS RELEASED TO NJ BY COUNTY County¹ Bergen Camden Essex Hudson Mercer Middlesex Monmouth Morris Ocean Passaic Somerset Union FY 14 202 91 344 325 203 192 69 234 (<50) 90 99 582 FY 15 191 (<50) 165 183 87 67 (<50) 56 (<50) 395 FY 16 281 72 288 367 193 167 87 126 (<50) 105 71 669 FY 17 223 61 197 215 127 57 139 50 63 (<50) 440 http: //www. acf. hhs. gov/programs/orr/unaccompanied-children-released-to-sponsors-by-county

PARTNERSHIP STRENGTHS/IMPROVEMENTS Track and monitor immigration-related issues Ensure Quality Services/Representation Respond to CP&P immigration questions/concerns LPR or USC status for numerous CP&P children Representation of children in immigration court Verify immigration status for CP&P children Obtain identification documents (i. e. birth certificate and passports) • Educate clients about immigrant rights and responsibilities • •

THE GREAT HURDLE: DOCUMENTS 1. INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SERVICES • Locating Family in Other Countries • Locating Foreign Documents in Other Countries • Document translation services • See CPP–IV-C-9 -200/ referral form (Gayle Williamson) 2. WORKING WITH CONSULATES ◦ ◦ Provide lots of services for their nationals Travel & document location & creation services Partnership w/ Mexico Contact Office of Legal Affairs for Assistance

PLACING WITH UNDOCUMENTED FAMILY RESOURCES CPP-IV-A -11 -200: Placement of Children with Kinship Caregivers Who Are Undocumented Immigrants “A child may be placed with kinship caregivers who are undocumented immigrants only when such placement is clearly in the child’s best interest. Approval must be obtained from the CP&P Director or designee prior to placement, and a waiver of the home study requirement in N. J. A. C. 10: 122 C 5. 3(a)(1)(ii) must be granted by the Office of Licensing. ”