Undocumented

[Guest]

My friend is the son of an Australian diplomat and so they're technically immigrants here for a bit but his dad abused him and CPS won't do anything... how can he legally stay with me, he's 15 and I'm 18.

[ccsmod2]

Hey there, thank you for reaching out to us! We want to thank you for seeking help for your friend, and tell you that we are here for you. Your friend does not deserve to be treated harmfully, and it is very brave of you to help in his time of need.
When it comes to a minor leaving the home, things can get a bit tricky. Your friend’s father could potentially file a runaway report, in which case the police will be entitled to notify your guardian and return you home. It depends on the on the police department, however, and we are happy to get you more solid information on what might happen for your friend in your area, if it is available. Feel free to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY and we can call your local police department for you if you are interested. Also, running away is considered a status offense, not a crime. Additionally, while we are not legal experts, any adult sheltering your friend could be at risk of harboring a runaway, which is usually considered a misdemeanor.
Unfortunately, if the case is that your friend is undocumented, emancipation will not be an option, however, some possibilities are to try to push more with an abuse report and to advocate for your friend to the police. If the police attempt to bring your friend home, let them know the situation at home. Also, a resource to call about abuse reporting is Child Help, which can be reached at 1-800-422-4453, or childhelp.org. If your friend needs an immediate safe place to go to, they can reach National Safe Place by texting the words SAFE and their location to 44357, or online at nationalsafeplace.org. If your friend is looking for shelters, you or they can call into our Safeline, 1-800-RUNAWAY, with your location and we can try to find some in your area for them.
Does your friend have any support at school, any teachers, counselors, or adults that can help him in his time of need? Or possibly any family in the states? Or if his father will consent to him leaving the home, would transitional housing be a possibility? If you and your friend need more help exploring options, again, feel free to call in. We also have other resources for you, such as message service, in which your friend can leave a message that we relay to his father or whoever he would like.
Again, we’re really glad that you reached out to us. It takes a lot to ask for help and you are trying to figure out your options which is really good to see. If you would like to talk further about your situation, please do not hesitate to call or chat with us. We’re here to listen, here to help.