Immigration

Focus Area

NCYL works to ensure that immigrant children are able to live in communities rather than in government custody and have access to the resources and opportunities they need to heal and thrive. We use a combination of federal litigation, state and federal policy advocacy, stakeholder education, and coalition building to uphold and expand the rights of detained immigrant youth as well as immigrant children in the community. We do not represent individual children in immigration proceedings or provide immigration legal services.

Find a full list of our team’s resources and publications here.

Center Youth
In our capacity as co-counsel on Flores v. Garland we represent the class of immigrant children in federal custody. In this role, we regularly meet with detained immigrant youth. Our team’s litigation and policy work is informed directly by the words of our clients.

Lucas R. v. Azar

Filing Date2018-06-29

In 2018, NCYL and co-counsel filed Lucas R. v. Azar, which alleges violations of rights afforded to unaccompanied immigrant children under the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, and the Flores Settlement Agreement.

Active

LGML v. Noem

Filing Date2025-08-01

This lawsuit challenges the Trump administration’s unlawful plan to secretly remove unaccompanied Guatemalan children from the United States. The National Center for Youth Law, National Immigration Law Center (NILC), and Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP) serve together as co-counsel.

Active

Flores v. Reno

Filing Date1985-07-11

NCYL and co-counsel filed Flores v. Reno in 1985 to address the egregious harms immigrant children in federal custody faced. The case was settled in 1997 and remains under the supervision of U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee in the Central District of California.

Active

See All Laws & Policy

Children’s Safe Welcome Act (2024)

The Children's Safe Welcome Act prioritizes family unity, minimizes the time children spend in immigration custody, and increases the protections for children throughout the process. NCYL provided expert guidance in developing this landmark legislation.

Active

Expanding Access to Diplomas for Highly Mobile Students (2021 & 2022)

SB 532 (Caballero)

SB 532 builds bridges to a high school diploma and post-secondary educational success for highly mobile students.

Enacted

Unaccompanied Immigrant Children Protections Act (2021)

AB 1140 (Rivas)

AB 1140 clarifies the responsibilities of the California Office of the Foster Care Ombudsperson, and their jurisdiction, to provide oversight of unaccompanied immigrant children held in state-licensed Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) facilities.

Enacted