If you are under 18 years of age and not living with one or both of your parents, you may qualify for your green card through the special immigrant juvenile status program.

Because the process of securing special immigrant status involves both immigration and family court actions, Attorney Karen Atzert is uniquely qualified to handle these matters, as she has extensive experience in both areas of the law. Other immigration attorneys routinely seek Karen’s advice when dealing with special immigrant juvenile status cases. She has received numerous referrals from attorneys who view her as a leader in the area of special immigrant juvenile status petitions.

Areas of Expertise

Success Story

Sixteen-year-old J.I. left his home in Guatemala after his parents failed to provide for his basic necessities. Upon crossing the Texas-Mexico border, J.I. was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Although he was subsequently released into the care of his older brother, he was placed into removal proceedings before an immigration judge. Karen secured an order from a family court judge in New Jersey granting J.I.’s brother custody of him and making specific factual findings to enable JI to apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. With this family court order, the immigration judge terminated removal proceedings against J.I., and he was awarded a green card.