Getting Guardianship of a Neglected Teenager, With ACS Involvement

[Binko]

My question involves guardianship in the State of: new York

So originally my friend and her sister were sent here for education purposes from their parents in Toronto. They were 16 and 17 respectively. They were supposedly under the care of a cousin, but the cousins are not citizens and therefore not capable to be guardians on paper, thus the documents were never filed. The problems didn't start until January of this year, when both sisters got kicked out of high school due to poor attendance, ACS started to look for them. aCS did find them once but the sisters avoided contact with them, moved out and went their separate ways. Last month, ACS went to toronto to arrest the mother, but she fainted and went to the hospital instead. Now ACS is still threatening the mother, and they are both 17 and 18 respectively. I am a friend of the 17 yr old, how do I go about taking guardianship of her to resolve this issue that is already more than six months past due? I am 24, I have a home but I live with my girlfriend, we both have a job, that pays decent, enough to take care of the 17 yr old, and I also enrolled her in an online high school to get her back on track. But the issue at hand is how to go about this matter, hopefully in a win-win matter, so that she stays here continuing her education at my girlfriends place, and her mother not locked up?

Thank you for your time,

K chen

- - - Updated - - -

P.s. I have the parents' permission to be the guardian. I know it may be a crime but she has stayed with us for two months now.
P.p.s. would ACS conduct an investigation on this matter if I did apply?

Sincerely,

K Chen

[Dogmatique]

They don't have to be citizens to be guardians. Just legal residents.


Are they illegal?

You really don't want to get involved here if ACS are involved. Specially if the minors are still "in hiding", so to speak.

[Binko]

I believe they are illegal, they freaked out when they heard ACS were involved. Are there any general requirements for guardianship? Like say a minimum yearly income. By the way forgot to memntion that I am in fact on probation. If ACS finds me Id be violating the terms on my probation by committing yet another crime. I committed a white collar crime, nothing violence related, would this affect the judge's decision a lot ?

[Mr. Knowitall]

You should be encouraging the minor to work with her case worker.

Your criminal record aside, the fact that you're helping her hide from ACS will convince pretty much any judge that you're not a suitable guardian - you're not acting the part of a responsible adult.