Resource: Policy Memorandum; Special Immigrant Juvenile Classification and Deferred Action

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April 10, 2026

uscis.gov

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing a policy memorandum to eliminate the 2022 policy automatically considering deferred action (and related employment authorization) for aliens classified as Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJs) who cannot apply for adjustment of status to that of a lawful permanent resident (LPR) due to visa unavailability. The underlying policy was previously rescinded in June 2025, but the recission was stayed in A.C.R. v. Noem. USCIS then looked at the SIJ deferred action policy and announced this new policy.

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/memos/PM-602-0198-SIJDeferredAction-20260410.pdf

[https://perma.cc/TV8M-9CVM]