UPDATE: June 2025 SIJS Updates — Deferred Action for SIJS Recipients
On June 6, 2025, USCIS issued new policy guidance that ends the automatic consideration of deferred action for children with approved Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) petitions who are awaiting eligibility to apply for a green card due to visa backlogs.
Key changes include:
- No More Automatic Deferred Action: USCIS will no longer consider deferred action (deportation protection) for SIJS recipients who are ineligible to apply for a green card because a visa is not currently available.
- No New Work Permits Based on Deferred Action Alone: USCIS will not accept new Form I-765 (work permit) applications under category (c)(14) based solely on SIJS classification and deferred action.
- Existing Protections Remain (for now): SIJS recipients who already have deferred action and work permits will generally keep them until they expire — but USCIS still has the discretion to terminate them early.
- Applies Immediately: This change applies to all SIJS recipients — including those who were granted SIJS before, on, or after June 6, 2025 — unless deferred action was already granted and is still valid.
What This Means:
- If you are a SIJS recipient waiting for a visa, you will not automatically get deportation protection or work authorization.
- You may no longer apply for a work permit unless you qualify for other forms of immigration relief.
- If you currently have deferred action based on SIJS, stay informed about your expiration date and consult with an attorney about next steps.
This is a major change from the 2022 policy and could leave many SIJS recipients without protection or income while they wait for a green card. If you or someone you know is affected by this SIJS update, please call 847-737-4042 or email info@nslegalaid.org to schedule a legal consultation.