Press Release: ASISTA Urges Senators to Reject Border Deal that Exposes Immigrant Survivors to Further Trauma, Hardship, and Violence (February 6, 2024)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 6, 2024 Contact: Cristina Velez, cristina@asistahelp.org ASISTA Urges Senators to Reject Border Deal that Exposes Immigrant Survivors to Further Trauma, Hardship, and Violence After months of opaque negotiations, a small group of senators released a bill on Sunday, February 4, 2024 that would eviscerate access to asylum, create a dangerous new…

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Press Release: ASISTA Welcomes New Board Members

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 30, 2023 Contact: Kirsten Rambo, kirsten@asistahelp.org ASISTA Welcomes New Board Members ASISTA Immigration Assistance is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors: Melissa Desgrottes and Derek Foran. Learn more about our new board members in our press release here.

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New York Times Bestselling Memoirist Javier Zamora & Award-Winning Journalist Amy Goodman to Speak at ASISTA’s 15-Year Anniversary Celebration

New York Times Bestselling Memoirist Javier Zamora & Award-Winning Journalist Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! to Speak at ASISTA’s 15-Year Anniversary Celebration  Join us on October 18th for our online celebration, Honoring our Past, Igniting our Future, to hear these two internationally-recognized luminaries share their wisdom and experience, inspiring us all in the fight for safety, justice, and dignity for immigrant…

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Press Release: Advocates for Immigrant Survivors of Violence Urge Governor Hochul to Sign Fair Courts for Immigrant New Yorkers Bill Into Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 21, 2023 Contact:  Cristina Velez, cristina@asistahelp.org Yasmine Farhang, yasmine@immdefense.org Advocates for Immigrant Survivors of Violence Urge Governor Hochul to Sign Fair Courts for Immigrant New Yorkers Bill Into Law ALBANY, N.Y.— Over two dozen national and New York-based advocates for immigrant survivors of violence today called on Governor Hochul to sign…

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ASISTA Condemns Horrific, Inhumane Treatment of Migrants in Texas (July 19, 2023)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 19, 2023 Contact: Kirsten Rambo, kirsten@asistahelp.org ASISTA Condemns Horrific, Inhumane Treatment of Migrants in Texas As documented by the Houston Chronicle and other outlets such as The Guardian and CNN, a trooper-medic with the Texas Department of Public Safety expressed concern to his supervisor earlier this month about the inhumane ways…

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ASISTA Honors LGBTQIA+ Immigrant Survivors:

Reflections and Resources June 2023 This Pride month and every month, ASISTA celebrates the resilience and bravery of queer and trans immigrants who journey to find safety, love, and self-determination in this country. We also acknowledge that these promises are not always fulfilled, and that LGBTQ+ immigrant survivors face multiple barriers to living free from…

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Press Release: ASISTA Welcomes New Board Members

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 3, 2023 Contact: Kirsten Rambo, kirsten@asistahelp.org ASISTA Welcomes New Board Members ASISTA Immigration Assistance is pleased to announce the addition of new members to its Board of Directors: Barbara Camacho, Daniel Garcia, Kerri-Ann Griggs, Helen Hwang, & Kelley Torrey. Learn more about our new board members in our press release here.

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Press Release: ASISTA Statement on USCIS Opening New HART Service Center for Humanitarian Relief

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 31, 2023 Contacts:Kirsten Rambo, kirsten@asistahelp.orgCristina Velez, cristina@asistahelp.org  ASISTA Statement on USCIS’s Opening of Humanitarian, Adjustment, Removing Conditions, and Travel Documents (HART) Service Center In a major announcement, USCIS has revealed the opening of the Humanitarian, Adjustment, Removing Conditions, and Travel Documents (HART) Service Center, a brand-new addition to its Service Center…

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Press Release: ASISTA Calls on Biden Administration to Reject Reinstating Detention of Migrant Families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 8, 2023 Contacts:Kirsten Rambo, kirsten@asistahelp.orgCristina Velez, cristina@asistahelp.org  ASISTA Calls on Biden Administration to Reject Reinstating Detention of Migrant Families The New York Times has reported that the Biden administration is now considering reinstating the detaining of migrant families, a callous, destructive policy that has been widely condemned–including, previously, by the President himself.  In response to this news,…

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Brand-New: ASISTA & Ujima Release Practice Advisory on Anti-Blackness & Immigrant GBV Survivors (Feb. 2023)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 9, 2023 Contacts:  Kirsten Rambo, kirsten@asistahelp.org  Cristina Velez, cristina@asistahelp.org  ASISTA Releases Practice Advisory on  Anti-Blackness and Immigrant Survivors of Gender-Based Violence  in Collaboration with Ujima, Inc.  The racism that pervades the US immigration system creates particular hardships for Black survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). ASISTA and Ujima, Inc. (the National Center…

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New Resource on Introduction to Survivor-Based Immigration Relief (Jan. 2023)

ASISTA has prepared an introductory resource on survivor-based immigration relief for beginner practitioners and domestic violence and sexual assault advocates. The resource provides an overview of common immigration terms and the eligibility criteria for common forms of survivor-based relief, including U and T visas and related adjustment applications, VAWA Self-Petitions and VAWA adjustment, battered spouse…

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ASISTA Releases Practice Advisory on Representing Criminalized Immigrant Survivors (Jan. 2023) 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 18, 2023 Contacts:  Kirsten Rambo, kirsten@asistahelp.org  Cristina Velez, cristina@asistahelp.org  ASISTA Releases Practice Advisory on Representing Criminalized Immigrant Survivors ASISTA has released a practice advisory for immigration practitioners that provides an introduction to the impacts of criminal-legal system contacts on eligibility for survivor-based immigration relief. Immigrant survivors may be criminalized for many reasons,…

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ASISTA releases Practice Alert on Abortion Rights for Immigrant Survivors: The Impact of Dobbs on Representation of Immigrant Survivors Seeking Reproductive Healthcare (Jan. 2023)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2023 Contacts:  Kirsten Rambo, kirsten@asistahelp.org  Cristina Velez, cristina@asistahelp.org ASISTA has released a practice alert for immigration and gender-based violence advocates and attorneys, regarding the impact of abortion restrictions on immigration status after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Given the increase in abortion restrictions and threats of criminalization that have followed the U.S.…

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ASISTA Welcomes New Senior Staff Attorney!

ASISTA Immigration Assistance is thrilled to welcome Rebecca Eissenova (she/her/ella) to the team. ASISTA members and friends will see Rebecca bringing her deep expertise to support our mission through training, technical assistance, practice advisories, and more. See more about Rebecca here.

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