Administrative Appeals Office Non-Precedent Decision In Re: 12890448 (September 14, 2021) [pdf]

USCIS AAO non precedent decision granting SIJS child who was abandoned and neglected by her father who did not support her and who was residing with her non-abusive mother in Texas at the time of the state court order. To qualify for SIJS a child need only be abused, abandoned or neglected by one parent and can be living with the non-abusive parent. Where the Texas court applied Texas child welfare laws to deny the father access to the child such a determination is sufficient to support the court’s determination that reunification with the father was not viable and the child was eligible for SIJS. The state court need only conduct an individualized assessment under state law for SIJS findings to be sufficient for SIJS purposes.