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

2. 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

3. IDENTIFYING A NEED
Foreign born residents make up 21.7% of New Jersey’s population according to the most recent U.S. Census
(See:
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
Should we move bottom part of this slide to later in presentation when we discuss process?

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

5. 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

6. Total Cases since inception: 205
DATA on current cases
Total Cases since inception: 205
112 active
22 inactive
14 referred/holding
57 closed

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

8. WHAT RELIEF IS AVAILABLE?

9. 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

10. SPECIAL Immigrant Juvenile Status
● Defined: Immigration and Nationality Act § 101(a)(27)(J)
An immigrant who is present in the United States –
Under 21
Unmarried
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
Reunification w/ 1 or both parents is not viable due to abuse, neglect, abandonment or similar basis under State Law
Not in child’s best interest to be returned to country of origin

11. 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

12. In Removal Proceedings?

13. Unaccompanied Minors Released to NJ - by County
FY 14
FY 15
FY 16
FY 17
Bergen
202
191
281
223
Camden 91
(<50) 
 72 61
Essex
344
165
288
197
Hudson
325
183
367
297
Mercer
203 87
193
215
Middlesex
192
 67
 167
127
Monmouth 69
(<50) 57
Morris
234 56
 126
139
Ocean
 (<50) 50
Passaic 90
 105 63
Somerset 99
 71
Union
582 
395
669
440
2,055: October 2016-July 2017
7th in country behind: California (5683); Texas (5024); Florida (3720); New York (3650); Maryland (2773); Virginia (2705)

14. 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

15. 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

16. Placing with Undocumented Family Resources
CPP-IV-A : 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. 10:122C-5.3(a)(1)(ii) must be granted by the Office of Licensing.”