USCIS Report Uncovers Gaps in Special Immigrant Juvenile Program
A recent analysis by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has brought to light significant shortcomings in the Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) program. The report reveals that around 800 individuals with known or suspected gang affiliations have been able to enter the United States through this initiative.
The detailed report, titled “Criminality, Gangs, and Program Integrity Issues in Special Immigrant Juvenile Petitions,” assessed over 300,000 SIJ petitions filed from fiscal year 2013 to February 2025. According to a USCIS press release, the findings were published on Thursday.
Between fiscal years 2020 and 2024, 198,414 SIJ petitions received approval. Notably, in 2024, half of those applying were over the age of 18 upon entering the U.S. without proper inspection.
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The report identified 853 individuals with gang connections, many of whom had their petitions approved. Specifically, over 600 applications were from MS-13 gang members, and more than 500 of these were approved. Among these MS-13 applicants, at least 70 faced federal racketeering charges, and numerous others had been accused of violent offenses.
Approval was also granted to over 100 members of the 18th Street gang, one of Los Angeles’ largest gangs. Additionally, at least three members of the Tren de Aragua gang and several from the rival gangs Sureños and Norteños were approved.
Since 2013, at least 120 SIJ applicants were charged with murder, and over 200 were registered as sex offenders.
The report further highlighted that a significant portion of these applicants hailed from countries flagged for national security concerns. The USCIS criticized the current administration’s “lax screening and vetting and anti-fraud policies” as contributing factors.
Instances of age and identity deception were also noted, with some applicants reportedly falsifying their personal information, such as names, birthdates, and countries of origin.
The Special Immigrant Juvenile program, initially established by Congress in 1990, was designed to provide a legal pathway to U.S. citizenship for young, undocumented immigrants unable to reunite with their parents due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
“Criminal aliens are infiltrating the U.S. through a program meant to protect abused, neglected, or abandoned alien children,” USCIS Spokesman Matthew J. Tragesser stated following the report’s release. He further added, “This report exposes how the open border lobby and activist judges are exploiting loopholes in the name of aiding helpless children.”
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
