# 119-s-1965: Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act

119-s-1965, Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV] (D-NV); status introduced (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1965
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-1965
- Congress: 119
- Title: Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-06-05
- Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV] (D-NV)
- Cosponsors: 12
- Policy area: Immigration
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-11

## Summary

**Removes employment-based visa caps for Special Immigrant Juveniles.** The Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act would add subparagraph (J) to two sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act so abused, abandoned, or neglected children classified as Special Immigrant Juveniles would not count toward employment-based numerical limits. That change applies to both the direct numerical limitation exemption and the employment-based preference allocation, clearing a statutory barrier that can block these youth from employment-based green cards.

## Cosponsors (12)

- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA), 2025-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (D-HI), 2025-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL), 2025-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2025-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV] (D-NV), 2025-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (D-IL), 2025-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (D-WA), 2025-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM] (D-NM), 2025-06-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME] (I-ME), 2025-07-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ] (D-AZ), 2025-12-09T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Remove visa caps for SIJ youth: benefit, high. This bill would remove certain employment-based immigrant visa caps for Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJs). SIJs are children found to be abused, abandoned, or neglected and given SIJ classification. If enacted, SIJs would no longer be subject to the cited employment-based numerical limits. The cha…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1503: Equality Act
- 119-s-852: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-s-2150: Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025
- 119-s-2523: John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-1965 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1965)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1503: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1503)
- [119-s-852: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-852)
- [119-s-2150: Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2150)
- [119-s-2523: John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2523)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1965 (as of 2026-08-11).