SEC. 2. STATE PLAN REQUIREMENT TO HAVE PROCEDURES 
TO HELP ALIEN CHILDREN IN THE CHILD 
WELFARE SYSTEM ACHIEVE SPECIAL IMMI-
GRANT JUVENILE STATUS AND LAWFUL PER-
MANENT RESIDENT STATUS. 
Sect. 471(a)(27) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 671(a)(27)) is amended by inserting ‘‘, and if the 
child is an alien without a lawful immigration status, for 
reviewing the child’s eligibility for special immigrant juve-
nile status, lawful permanent resident status, and other 
forms of relief under immigration law, within 1 year after 
the status of the child is first reviewed pursuant to section 
475(5)(B), and annually thereafter, and for assisting the 
child in applying for special immigrant juvenile status, 
lawful permanent resident status, and other forms of relief 
under immigration law, so that the child can reasonably 
be expected to achieve such relief before exiting foster 
care, if doing so would be in the best interests of the child’’ 
before the period. 
SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT THAT STATE CHILD WELFARE AGEN-
CIES DOCUMENT THEIR EFFORTS TO PURSUE 
LAWFUL IMMIGRANT STATUS FOR ELIGIBLE 
ALIEN FOSTER CHILDREN. 
Section 475(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
675(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(H) In the case of an alien child who, 
after a review conducted pursuant to section 
471(a)(27), is determined to be a child who 
may qualify for special immigrant juvenile sta-
tus, lawful permanent resident status, or other 
forms of relief under immigration law, docu-
mentation of the steps the agency is taking in 
assisting the child to obtain the status before 
exiting foster care, including whether the req-
uisite petitions have been filed on behalf of the 
child, and whether assistance has been provided 
to secure immigration legal counsel for the 
child.’’. 
SEC. 4. REQUIRMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER FILING PE-
TITIONS FOR SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE 
STATUS AND LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT 
STATUS FOR ALIEN FOSTER CHILDREN IS IN 
THE CHILD’S BEST INTEREST IN APPRO-
PRIATE CASES. 
Section 475(5)(C)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 675(5)(C)(i)) is amended by inserting ‘‘, and, in 
the case of an alien child without lawful immigration sta-
tus, the hearing shall determine whether a petition for spe-
cial immigrant juvenile status or lawful permanent resi-
dent status has been filed on behalf of the child and, if 
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such a petition has not been so filed, whether it is in the 
best interests of the child, including consideration of the 
potential effects on family reunification efforts, to have 
such a petition so filed or to have immigration counsel 
appointed’’ before the semicolon at the end. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO USE COURT IMPROVEMENT PRO-
GRAM GRANT FUNDS TO EDUCATE AND 
TRAIN CHILD WELFARE AND COURT STAFF, 
INCLUDING 
JUDGES, 
SOCIAL 
WORKERS, 
COURT-APPOINTED 
SPECIAL 
ADVOCATES, 
AND LAWYERS TO ASSIST ALIEN CHILDREN 
IN ACHIEVING SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVE-
NILE STATUS, LAWFUL PERMANENT RESI-
DENT STATUS, AND OTHER FORMS OF RELIEF 
UNDER IMMIGRATION LAW. 
Section 438(a)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 629h(a)(2)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (A); 
(2) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (B); and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) to educate and train child welfare and 
court staff, including judges, social workers, 
court-appointed special advocates, and attor-
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neys to assist alien children in achieving special 
immigrant juvenile status, lawful permanent 
resident status, and other forms of relief under 
immigration law in a timely manner;’’. 
SEC. 6. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD WELFARE 
AGENCIES. 
On request of a State child welfare agency for tech-
nical assistance in carrying out the amendments made by 
this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security 
and the Secretary of State, shall provide the assistance, 
and may award grants to and enter into contracts with 
qualified non-profit or other community-based service pro-
viders with substantive expertise to perform the assist-
ance. 
SEC. 7. ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE. 
(a) PUBLIC BENEFITS.— 
(1) FEDERAL
MEANS-TESTED
PUBLIC
BENE-
FITS.—Section 403(b) of the Personal Responsibility 
and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 
U.S.C. 1613(b)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(3) EXCEPTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE 
OBTAINED
SPECIAL
IMMIGRANT
JUVENILE
STA-
TUS.—An alien who is granted special immigrant ju-
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venile status under section 101(a)(27)(J) of the Im-
migration 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1101(a)(27)(J)).’’. 
(2) OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS.—Section 402 
of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1612) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(2), by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(N) EXCEPTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO 
HAVE
OBTAINED
SPECIAL
IMMIGRANT
JUVE-
NILE STATUS.—With respect to eligibility for 
benefits for the specified Federal programs de-
scribed in paragraph (3), paragraph (1) shall 
not apply to any alien who is granted special 
immigrant 
juvenile 
status 
under 
section 
101(a)(27)(J) of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(J)).’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b)(2), by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(G) EXCEPTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO 
HAVE
OBTAINED
SPECIAL
IMMIGRANT
JUVE-
NILE STATUS.—An alien who is granted special 
immigrant 
juvenile 
status 
under 
section 
101(a)(27)(J) of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(J)).’’. 
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