SPRINGFIELD — Unaccompanied immigrant children would have a path to Illinois’ legal system and access to comprehensive resources and social services following abuse, neglect or abandonment under a measure led by State Senator Cristina Castro.
“Children, no matter where they are from, deserve access to these comprehensive resources,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Given the harm they have endured, it is morally right to let them know that help is always there for them.”
Currently, unaccompanied immigrant children are being held in federal detention, often for months with no end in sight – a practice that not only inflicts physical and psychological harm but also precludes youth from being able to seek legal protections such as a Special Immigrant Juvenile Status order. While the number of children and the network of shelters that house them have decreased in recent years, the average length of stay for young people has more than tripled between 2015 and 2025.
House Bill 4890 would create a process for children in the custody of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement who have been abused, neglected or abandoned by one or both parents to receive court-ordered services when they file for dependency. Under current law, eligible immigrant children in Illinois can access the protections they are entitled to via custody or a guardianship petition, but not while they are in federal immigration custody. House Bill 4890 aims to make this process clearer and allow children to receive those protections when ordered by a court.
An unaccompanied child under Castro’s measure would also be eligible to access psychological, educational, medical and social services deemed necessary by court order, creating better mental and physical health outcomes for the child.
“Children should never have to pay for the decisions made by others,” said Castro. “Providing protection for the most vulnerable in our society should be at the forefront of our policymaking.”
House Bill 4890 passed the Senate on Tuesday and heads to the governor’s desk for final approval.
