Judicial Decision-Making at the Intersection of Child Welfare and Immigration (PowerPoint)
Description
Join fellow judges for a peer-to-peer discussion on the complex intersection of child welfare and immigration law issues. This session explores how judicial decision-making can shape outcomes for youth and families navigating both systems, and why judicial engagement in cases involving children living in mixed status families is so important. Faculty outline what resources are available to judges, how to create partnerships that support youth and families, and ways to strengthen education and training for judges and professionals appearing in court. The conversation also focuses on practical strategies for applying NIWAP’s Toolkit for CPS and child welfare cases and understanding the broader impact of judicial leadership in these matters. Designed as a collaborative exchange, this session offers an opportunity to share experiences, challenges, and insights that can enhance judicial practice and promote fair, informed outcomes for judges seeing court cases where immigration and child welfare laws intersect.
Faculty Presenters
- Hon. Aurora Martinez Jones, 126th District Court Judge, Civil, Family, and Juvenile Court, Austin, Texas
- Leslye E. Orloff, Adjunct Professor and Director, NIWAP, American University Washington College of Law
Referenced Materials
- Children of Battered Immigrant Women: An Assessment of the Cumulative Effects of Violence, Access to Services, and Immigrant Status (Ammar et al., 2004)
- Sexual Violence Against Adolescent Girls (Decker et. al, 2007)
- Early Access to Work Authorization For VAWA Self-Petitioners and U-Visa Applicants (Anver et al., 2014)
- Promoting Access to Justice for Immigrant and LEP Crime Victims in an Age of Increased Immigration Enforcement – National Report
- Transforming Lives: How the VAWA Self-Petition & U-Visa Change the Lives of Victims and their Children After Work-Authorization and Legal Immigration Status
- DHS – Interactive Infographic U.S. Immigration Benefits for Noncitizen Crime Victims
- Families and Children Model Code on Domestic and Family Violence – Revised Chapter Four – NCJFCJ (January 2023)
- U and T Visa Certification State Law Requirements: Review, Comparison, and Trends
- Child Protective Services Toolkit
- U Visa Certification: Ethical Considerations for Judicial Officers
Useful Resources