Urge Gov. Lujan Grisham to sign HB 15 and help immigrant youth!
Thank you all for your support of HB 15 (and its twin bill, SB 229) during this legislative session! HB 15, the Special Immigrant Juvenile Classification Act, made it through the legislature and is now awaiting Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s signature to become law.
HB 15 seeks to:
Update New Mexico state law to reflect federal immigration law to expand the court age-out deadline to the age of 21 for “Special Immigrant Juvenile” cases.
Positively impact the lives of qualifying immigrant youth and children who are abused, abandoned, or neglected by one or both parents that would qualify under federal law, but currently do not have access to this unique form of relief.
Create positive generational change by allowing vulnerable immigrant children to obtain SIJS and its protections: access to healthcare, educational opportunities, deferred action (protection from deportation), work permit, the pathway to permanent residency, and eventually citizenship.
We need your help to ensure that Gov. Lujan Grisham signs this bill! Send an email to the governor and ask her to sign HB 15.
Here’s sample language to include:
HB 15 would enable New Mexican undocumented youth to be eligible to apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) up until the age of 21, which aligns with the federal immigration statute. SIJS is a special form of immigration status for immigrant youth who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected. Under federal law, children up to the age of 21 are eligible for SIJS; however, due to limitations in New Mexico state law, children residing in New Mexico are only able to seek such status up until the age of 18. HB 15 will align New Mexico state law with federal immigration law, and enable more immigrant youth to seek permanent status.
