December 16, 2021
The Immigrant Victim and Witness Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 6078), introduced by Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), is groundbreaking legislation that would eliminate an arbitrary limit on the annual number of visas allocated by Congress to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) recipients, thereby removing barriers to safety and security for over 44,000 children and immigrant youth1 who have suffered parental abuse, abandonment, and neglect. The Act would also ensure vital protections for immigrant survivors of trafficking, domestic violence, and other harm. Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) and the End SIJS Backlog Coalition endorse this bill.
