Posts by Maria Lazzarino
ASISTA Federal Policy Update (June 2024)
On July 2nd, ASISTA published our Federal Policy Update for June 2024, containing a summary of our federal policy activities over the last six months, including legislative and regulatory advocacy, stakeholder meeting notes, and some potential regulatory changes hopefully coming our way.
Read MoreAmicus brief in Bouarfa v. Mayorkas (Supreme Court, July 2024), on importance of judicial review for survivor-based relief revocations
In July 2024, ASISTA and partners joined an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in the case of Bouarfa v. Mayorkas. The case centers on the judicial reviewability of DHS’s revocation authority in the family-based immigration context, and the brief aims to highlight how any decision on such reviewability could also impact justice for survivors…
Read MoreRequest for USCIS to Accept Prior Edition of I-918 Forms Through March 31, 2025 (April 18, 2024)
In conjunction with the new fee rule that went into effect on April 1, 2024, USCIS updated immigration forms, including the I-918 and related forms. Starting June 3, 2024, USCIS will only accept the new version of the form. This short grace period will create significant hardships and hurdles for those who have sought or…
Read MoreASISTA Notes: HART Service Center One-Year Anniversary Engagement (March 27, 2024)
On March 27, 2024, USCIS held a One-Year Anniversary Engagement for the HART Service Center, which was scheduled to share updates from HART and for USCIS to get feedback, comments, and questions from stakeholders. These are ASISTA’s notes from that engagement. Please note that USCIS stated that they collected questions submitted to them, but did…
Read MoreUSCIS National Engagement: 2024 Final Fee Rule (Date of Engagement Feb. 22, 2024)
On February 22, 2024, USCIS held a national engagement to discuss the 2024 Final Fee Rule. These are ASISTA’s notes from that engagement, which focus on the portions of the engagement most relevant to practitioners representing immigrant survivors.
Read MoreASISTA Practice Pointer: Correctly Identifying the Expiration Date of U Nonimmigrant Status (Updated February 8, 2024)
Many practitioners report uncertainty about the date their client’s U status expires because the client has multiple documents defining the validity of their status. For instance, a U derivative may have: (1) the I-797 approval notice for the principal’s I-918, (2) the I-797 approval notice for their own I-918A, (3) a U-3 (or other derivative…
Read MoreASISTA Practice Pointer: Hot Tips for Using Service Center Hotlines and Supplementing Pending Petitions (Updated Jan. 22, 2024)
This practice pointer synthesizes the current recommendations for using USCIS “hotline emails” for customer service inquiries on cases protected by 8 USC § 1367 privacy requirements, i.e., survivor-based relief applications. This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-23-GK-05161-MUMU awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and…
Read MoreASISTA Federal Policy Update (December 2023)
On December 22, 2023, ASISTA published an update of our federal policy activities from October to December of 2023, including legislative advocacy, stakeholder meetings and advocacy letters, submitted comments, and provided notification of upcoming deadlines for comments to form revisions, and an update regarding the final and proposed regulations for survivor-based relief expected in early…
Read MoreASISTA I-485 Comment (11/7/2023)
On September 8, 2023, USCIS published a revision of Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status greatly expanding the number and type of questions for applicants to complete. On November 7, 2023, ASISTA submitted a comment emphasizing the impact of these form changes on beneficiaries of survivor-based relief.
Read MoreChecklist: Initial Documents Immigrant Survivors May Need (Nov. 2023)
This checklist suggests documents that social workers and advocates working with immigrant survivors may wish to help the survivors to gather. They may become useful for pending or future immigration application. Most people will not have all of these, but if your client has them, see if you can help obtain a copy. This project…
Read MoreASISTA New Resource: Top Ten Things Criminal Defense Attorneys Should Know About Criminalized Survivors (Oct. 9, 2023)
When a noncitizen survivor faces criminal charges, their immigration prospects will be best preserved if their criminal defense attorney is well-informed about immigration fundamentals. This resource is designed to inform criminal defense attorneys and advocates of key immigration concepts and equip them with useful tips and resources to put them into action.
Read MoreASISTA Notes from USCIS HART Service Center Quarterly Engagement (Sept. 22, 2023)
On September 22, 2023, USCIS held an engagement to provide an update on the Humanitarian, Adjustment, Removing Conditions and Travel Documents (HART) Service Center, which included a Q&A portion. These are ASISTA’s notes from that engagement.
Read MoreASISTA and Tahirih Justice Center letter re advocacy for health coverage for pending Us. (June 23, 2023)
On June 23, 2023, ASISTA and Tahirih Justice Center submitted a comment to the Proposed Medicare and Medicaid Services rule that would extend health benefits under the ACA to DACA recipients, welcoming the change and advocating for inclusion of U petitioners prior to BFD/waitlist adjudication. Click here to access the letter.
Read MoreASISTA Celebrates the Launch of US’s First-Ever National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence (GBV)(May 25, 2023)
Click here to access release in PDF format. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 25, 2023 Contact: Kirsten Rambo, kirsten@asistahelp.org ASISTA Celebrates the Launch of US’s First-Ever National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence (GBV) ASISTA is pleased to be at the White House complex today to witness the historic launch of the first-ever National Action Plan…
Read MoreOverview of the New Humanitarian, Adjustment, Removing Conditions and Travel Documents (HART) Service Center (April 20, 2023)
On April 20, 2023, USCIS held an engagement to provide an overview of the new Humanitarian, Adjustment, Removing Conditions and Travel Documents (HART) Service Center, which included a Q&A portion. These are ASISTA’s notes from that engagement.
Read MoreImmigrant Visa Flowcharts for Derivatives of VAWA and U Principals
These four flowcharts were created by Esther Limb, Supervising Attorney at Her Justice, in connection with ASISTA’s March 2023 Virtual CLE Conference, “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Derivatives.” They are current as of March 2023. The flowcharts depict the processes to follow for derivative beneficiaries and other relatives of VAWA and U petitioners,…
Read MoreASISTA and collaborators AILA, ICWC, CAST, and ILRC delivered a letter to USCIS Re: Biometrics for U and T Visa Applicants Abroad (Feb. 2023)
On February 14, 2023 ASISTA and collaborators AILA, ICWC, CAST, and ILRC delivered a letter to USCIS raising concerns about the unavailability of biometrics appointments for U and T visa petitioners and their derivatives abroad, and the negative consequences resulting from their inability to complete application requirements, including prolonged family separation and even unfair denials…
Read MoreLetter to DOJ from anti-violence community (Dec. 2022)
ASISTA and the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors led a sign on letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to vacate and overrule three precedents that prevent immigration adjudicators from respecting post-conviction or sentencing relief granted to immigrant survivors under state and federal law. The letter, which was joined by 68 organizations and 13 individuals,…
Read MoreNew Resource: ASISTA’s Flyer: Services to OVW Grantees & Sub-grantees (Updated Nov. 2022)
The updated ASISTA’s Flyer has direct links to the orientation session recording and other service for OVW LAV grantees/sub-grantees and STOP sub-grantees.
Read MoreUSCIS Reliance on Arrest Reports is Harmful to LGBTQ+ Immigrant Survivors: ASISTA Provides Feedback to the DHS Commission on Combating Gender-Based Violence
USCIS Reliance on Arrest Reports is Harmful to LGBTQ+ Immigrant Survivors: ASISTA Provides Feedback to the DHS Commission on Combating Gender-Based Violence (June 2020)
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