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Trends Article on Unaccompanied Immigrant Children Now Available

An article in the recent 2014 Trends in State Courts publication, from the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), focuses on the influx of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) in the state courts. The article, authored by David Slayton, Administrative Director of the Courts at the Texas Office of Court Administration, examines three critical areas: 1) the growth of unaccompanied minors traveling to the United States; 2) defining Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) and how it is conferred, as well as its implications; and, 3) the overall impact of the unaccompanied minor case influx on state courts. Although brief, the feature gives specificity to the process, case types involving SIJS, and an array of demographic and referral data compiled from a network of federal sources and impacted areas. The article addresses how these cases quickly extend beyond border states, and the responsibilities of parties and agencies involved in these cases. The article, titled, How the Unaccompanied Minor Crisis Is Affecting the State Courts, is available online as a webpage designated for this issue. Additional information is contained on the webpage, including a webinar, offered by the NCSC’s Institute for Court Management (ICM), which had over 200 participants during the live session, and continues to be viewed as a recording.