Federal Judge Orders Review of Deportation Protections for Young Immigrants

Fri Nov 21 2025 07:20:10 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant ruling, a federal judge has directed the Trump administration to reconsider deportation protections for vulnerable young immigrants who have faced abuse or neglect. This decision reinstates a critical program for thousands awaiting legal residency.

U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee's ruling mandates that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reassess protections for young immigrants under a program rescinded in June 2022. This program, designed for those abused or neglected and granted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), allows affected children to apply for visas for legal residency while also protecting them from deportation during the process. As litigation continues, the decision permits existing and new applicants to seek protection, enabling necessary work permits amid ongoing immigration challenges.

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — A federal judge issued an order Wednesday requiring the Trump administration to again consider granting protection from deportation to certain vulnerable young immigrants.

U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee ordered U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to reconsider granting deportation protection under a 2022 program the agency rescinded in June. The decision will allow the program to continue while the lawsuit brought by plaintiffs in July continues.

The affected youth are those who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by a parent and have received Special Immigrant Juvenile status through a state court and the federal government. SIJS enables qualifying young people to apply for a visa to become legal permanent residents and obtain a work permit, despite the lengthy wait times due to annual caps.

Under the Biden administration, USCIS could consider shielding designees from deportation while they wait for a visa. Without the deferred action program, these young individuals do not qualify for a work permit and face potential deportation, compromising their pathway to legal permanent status.

“The crux of the court’s decision is that the government can’t just pull the rug out from under hundreds of thousands of young people without considering how they built their entire lives around the existing policy,” stated Stephanie Ellie Norton, an attorney for the plaintiffs.

USCIS and DHS did not immediately respond to a request for a statement. Under the current ruling, applicants who previously had protection and new applicants will be able to submit applications for review of this status, and USCIS must decide on work permit requests for new applicants as well as those with existing deferred action.

The judge has yet to rule on the certification of the class, but litigation is expected to proceed.