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HowComprehensiveImmigrationReformAffectsImmigrantSurvivors

May28,2013

AsCongressconsidershowtomeaningfullyreformthenation’simmigrationlawsandsystem,itiscrucialto

safeguard and enhance protections for immigrant survivors of  domestic violence, sexual assault, human

trafficking and other abuses. Indeed, many immigrant women are particularly vulnerable to abusive or

exploitative situations in their homes and workplaces due to their lack of  immigration status. Abusive

partners, opportunisticpredators,andmanipulativeemployers often exploitavictim’s lackof  immigration

status,or

dependent

immigration

status,

as

away

to

maintain

power

and

control

and

to

keep

victims

silent.

Unfortunately, despite current humanitarian provisions of  US immigration law intended to reduce these

vulnerabilitiesimanyobstaclestoimmigrantsurvivors’accesstosafetyand justicestillremain.

This advisory, prepared by leading national experts and advocates for immigrant survivorsii, highlights

provisionsincludedinthebipartisanSenateimmigrationbill(S.744)whichspecificallyenhanceprotections

forimmigrantsurvivors.WeurgeSenatorstosupporttheseimportantprotectionsasthelegislationproceeds

to the full Senate, and we urge Representatives to support the inclusion of  these provisions in any

immigrationreformbillintheHouseof Representatives:

  Creating a legalization program to provide immigration status and eventual permanent residency

andcitizenship

to

undocumented

immigrants

in

the

U.S.

who

meet

eligibility

criteria,

bringing

them

outof theshadowsandremovingmajorvulnerabilities toabuseandexploitation.

o  Creatingprovisionsthatensurethatabusedspousesandchildrencanmaintaintheirown

legalimmigrationstatusandworkauthorizationindependentof anabusivespouseorparent

incasesof domesticviolence.

  Increasing the number of  U visas available each year for immigrant victims who assist in the

investigationorprosecutionof designatedcrimes.(S.744includesanincreaseintheannualcapfrom

10,000 to18,000Uvisas,withnomore than3,000available for thenewcivilworkplaceviolations

listedbelow).

  MakingU

visas

available

for

abroader

range

of 

violations

for

immigrants

who

have

suffered

serious

civil workplace violations such as workplace abuse, exploitation, retaliation, or violation of 

whistleblower protections and who assist in the investigation, prosecution, or adjudication of 

coveredviolations.

  AddingchildabuseandelderabuseasqualifyingUvisacrimes.

  Eliminating the oneyear filing deadline for asylum cases, which bars many otherwise eligible

asylumseekers from protection and particularly impacts women fleeing genderbased persecution

(likefemalegenitalcutting,forcedmarriage,or“honor”violence)whooftendonotknowthatthey

couldbeeligibleforasylum,letalonethatthereisatimelimittoapply.

  EnablingapplicantswithpendingVAWAself petitions,UandTvisaapplications to receivework

authorizationno laterthan180daysaftertheirapplicationwasfiled,toaddress lengthydelays in

the adjudication of  these petitions (in some cases, wait times are over a year and a half) that

underminesurvivors’accesstosafetyandeconomicsecurity.

  Clarifying immigrant domestic violence survivors’ eligibility for public or assisted housing when

theyqualifyforcertainVAWAremedies.

  Protecting legal immigration status and providing work authorization for abused spouses and

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children of  temporary visaholders (those with work or education visas), releasing them from

economicdependenceonanabuserandremovingthethreatof deportationif theyleftanabuser.

  Limiting immigration enforcement at sensitive locations by restricting Immigration and Customs

Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) from engaging in enforcement actions at

designated“sensitivelocations,”unlessthereare“exigentcircumstances”orpriorapprovalhasbeen

obtained.“Sensitive locations” includeschools,daycares,hospitalsandclinics,churches,andcrime

victimservices,amongothers.

  Ensuring screening of  unaccompanied immigrant children at the border to identify victims of 

persecutionortrafficking,andimprovingtheirtreatmentwhileinthecustodyof U.S.Customsand

Border Protection; requiring female officers to escort female detainees during transport (to help

preventsexualassault).

  Bolstering protections for workers who are recruited abroad by foreign labor contractors, to

preventworkersfromfallingvictimtoworkerexploitation,abuseorhumantrafficking.

InadditiontosupportingtheaboveprovisionsinS.744thatspecificallyenhanceprotectionsforimmigrant

survivors,weurgeCongressnottosupportorincludeprovisionsthatcouldhavedetrimentalunintended

consequencesfor

immigrant

survivors,

including

the

following:

  Provisions Related to Immigrants with Criminal Convictions that expand the domestic violence

relatedgroundsof ineligibilityforlegalstatus,inadmissibility,ordeportability,orthateliminatethe

possibilityof humanitarianwaiversthatcantakeintoaccountsurvivors’needsandcircumstances.

Current immigration laws already provide consequences for domestic violencerelated convictions

andeffortstoincreasetheconsequencesandeliminateadequatewaiverscansweepsurvivors(e.g.,

thosewhoarewronglyaccusedoractedinself defense)intotheirscope.

  ProvisionsLimitingImmigrantAccesstoSafetyNetBenefits,includingthosethatpreventaccess,or

thosethatclassifyimmigrantswhohaveaccessedpublicbenefitsorwhoareeligibleforbenefits,due

totheirlowincome,asineligibleforfutureimmigrationstatus.Suchprovisionswillhavetheeffectof 

preventingabused

immigrants

from

accessing

public

benefits

they

need

to

escape

or

recover

from

abuse,orpenalizethemfordoingso.

  Provisions Increasing Barriers to Immigrant Victims’ HelpSeeking and CrimeReporting, such as

proposalstoengagestateandlocalpoliceinimmigrationenforcementaspartof theirroutineduties,

whichdiscourageimmigrantvictimsfromreportingcrimesandunderminepublicsafety.

Formoreinformation,pleasecontact:

GraceHuang,WashingtonStateCoalitionAgainstDomesticViolence,2063892515x209,grace@wscadv.org

RosieHidalgo,CasadeEsperanza:NationalLatin@Network,7039425582,rhidalgo@casadeesperanza.org

JeanneSmoot,TahirihJusticeCenter,5712826196, jeanne@tahirih.org

CeceliaFriedman

Levin,

ASISTA

Immigration

Assistance,

202

505

5140,

Cecelia@asistahelp.org

iTheVAWAself  petitionallowsabusedspousesof U.S.Citizensorlegalpermanentresidents(LPRs)toapplyforlegalstatusindependentof 

theirabusers;theU Visaoffersthepossibilityof legalstatustocertainvictimsof violentcrimesenumeratedbystatute(includingdomestic

violenceandsexualassault)whoarewillingtocooperatewithlawenforcementinvestigationsandprosecutions;theT visaisforvictimsof 

a“severeformof traffickinginpersons.”FormoreinformationonprotectionsundertheViolenceAgainstWomenActandtheTrafficking

VictimsProtectionAct,pleaseseethebrochure,“ImmigrationOptionsforVictimsof Crimes,”availableat:http://www.uscis.gov.iiThenationalcommitteeof leadingexpertsonexistingprotections –andprotectiongaps –inUSlawsaffectingimmigrantwomen

survivorsof domesticviolence,sexualassault,andothergenderbasedhumanrightsabusesthatpreparedthisdocumentincludes

AmericansforImmigrantJustice,ASISTAImmigrationAssistance,CasadeEsperanza:NationalLatin@NetworkforHealthyFamiliesand

Communities,CenterforGenderandRefugeeStudies,CoalitionAgainstSlaveryandTrafficking,ImmigrationCenterforWomenand

Children,MinnesotaCoalitionforBatteredWomen,NationalEmploymentLawProject,NationalImmigrantJusticeCenter,TahirihJustice

Center,andtheWashingtonStateCoalitionAgainstDomesticViolence.