Unaccompanied Minor CLE Training- Charleston

Unaccompanied Minors Pro Bono Project

Charleston School of Law, 414 King Street, Room 107/109, Chase Building

Children fleeing violence by themselves to the United States from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador has skyrocketed.  Approximately 90,000 children came to the United States in 2014 with more than 550 resettling here in South Carolina. These children are escaping danger in their homelands and seeking safety in the United States.  Violence is the leading factor forcing unaccompanied children from Central America. There is no law or program that automatically protects these unaccompanied minors from being sent back to their home countries. Even if they are released to a family member or sponsor to wait for an immigration hearing, every child who arrives in the United States is put into deportation proceedings; they are not given a green card or granted any type of legal status.  It is crucial to ensure that these children have access to counsel as they move through the immigration system. There is no guaranteed right in immigration law.  Representation must be provided in immigration court and in the state where the child is located to ensure that representation in state family court occurs when needed to help protect the child.  Eligible Unaccompanied Minors residing in our state will need assistance to petition the Family Court for SJIS status.  The children that can remain in South Carolina will need legal assistance in our state court before the Immigration Court can give them the ability to stay.  

This training will equip you with the knowledge, materials, resources and supportive services to undertake representation of minor children in Family Court.  You can make a difference in a child’s ability to grow up in a safe supportive environment. 

9:45   Welcome and Overview of Project

                                Sue Berkowitz, SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center

10:00   Understanding Issue of Unaccompanied Minors

                                Nina Cano, Legal Services of Southern Piedmont

10:45   Removal defense in immigration court—basics for non-immigration lawyers

                Amanda Keaveny, Esq.

 11:30    Special Immigrant Juvenile Status— Filing for custody

John Duffy, Esq

12:15  Lunch Break

1:15   Special Immigrant Juvenile Status— Intersection of domestic and international law

                John Duffy,   Esq.

1:45        DSS and SIJS proceeding, when does the agency get involved?

                                Susan Chang, SCDSS

2:30        Ethical Issues when representing a child

                                Lisa Smith Butler, Charleston School of Law

3:30        Break

3:45        Working with Children

                Nina Cano, LSSP

4:15        Mechanics of SJIS SC Appleseed Pro Bono Program, Including Case Support You Will Receive from the Project

                Nina Cano, LSSP

4:30        End and Wrap Up