Preliminary Injunction Granted in SIJ Lawsuit: J.L. v. Cissna

J.L. v. Cissna, Oct. 24, 2018 - "Plaintiffs are young immigrants who were abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parents. They seek classification as Special Immigrant Juveniles (“SIJ”) as a pathway to lawful permanent residency in the United States. They contend that defendants—the United States Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), and individual officers in charge of those departments—have adopted a new policy that unlawfully denies them SIJ status by imposing requirements beyond the scope of the law. Plaintiffs now move for a preliminary injunction to enjoin that policy. See Dkt. No. 6. Because the Court finds that Plaintiffs have demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits, a likelihood of irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary relief, and the balance of equities and public interest weighs in their favor, the Court GRANTS Plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction enjoining Defendants from effecting their new policy."