AB142 Approved Unanimously By NV Senate

Today the Nevada Senate approved, 21-0, AB142, a bill to clarify that Nevada courts have jurisdiction to make special findings for immigrant children in Nevada who have been abused, neglected or abandoned, and for whom return to their country would not be in their best interest. Immigrant kids need the family court findings in order to pursue legal immigration status from the federal government, but some family court judges and hearing masters have expressed resistance to issuing the findings.

The UNLV Immigration Clinic testified in favor of the bill in both the Assembly and the Senate. The bill has one more procedural hurdle to clear in the Assembly, and then heads to the Governor's desk.