News
Amicus Brief VAWA Joint Residence (December 27, 2019)
This amicus brief, submitted to the Southern District of Florida, addresses USCIS’s requirement that self-petitioners show shared residence with their abuser during the marriage. With deep gratitude to Prof. Rebecca Sharpless and law students Meredith Hoffman and Olivia Parise from the University of Miami School of Law’s Immigration Clinic for their hard work on this…
Read More2019 in Review
As 2019 comes to close, we’ve taken a look back at the work we’ve done this year, and all we can do with your support in 2020. Learn more about our work this year here.
Read MoreGood News from the 9th Circuit on the reviewability of U visa denials!
On Friday November 22, 2019, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals published a decision reversing the district court’s dismissal of a suit challenging a U visa petition denial for lack of jurisdiction. The panel held that § 701(a)(2) of the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”) and 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a)(2)(B)(ii) do not bar judicial review of…
Read MoreImmigrant Survivors are being scared into silence
“I’ve been working in immigration rights since the 1980s and I’ve never seen this level of antagonism toward immigrants and women.” In this article, ASISTA Executive Director, Gail Pendleton talks about how immigrant survivors are being scared into silence, and how to find help before you need it. https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/in-the-news/when-fighting-abuse-could-lead-to-deportation
Read MoreASISTA Practice Pointer: Assessing whether to file a U Visa Petition for Victims at Risk of Removal (November 2019)
This practice advisory provides practitioners a road map for assessing a U Visa petitioner’s potential risk of removal. Click here to download this document in Word version. Copyright @2019 by ASISTA Immigration Assistance. All rights reserved. This product or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used without express written permission from ASISTA Immigration…
Read MoreAmicus Briefs filed at the 9th and the BIA on Sanchez-Sosa (July/November, 2019)
Many thanks to fellow authors: Nareeneh Sohbatian from Winston & Strawn LA, and Brigit Greeson Alvarez and Victoria Bonds (intern extraordinaire) from LAFLA. Click here for amicus filed at the 9th Circuit, and click here for amicus filed at the BIA. To download the briefs in Word version, click here for 9th circuit brief, and…
Read MoreA Northern Virginia Mother Was A Victim Of Domestic Violence. She Was Deported.
The Hill: ICE rule change on U visas sparks outrage
“The Trump administration has quietly altered its handling of visas granted to immigrants who cooperate with criminal investigations, allowing people to be deported even while they are waiting for their visas.” ASISTA’s Cecelia Friedman Levin describes the impact of these changes and how they will diminish access to critical protection to immigrant survivors. Read more…
Read MoreBuzzfeed News: An Asylum-Seeking Mom Who Applied For A Special Visa For Victims Of Violence Is About To Be Deported Anyway
Survivors of domestic violence must have access to critical immigration protections without fearing they may be deported before their cases are decided. ASISTA’s Cecelia Friedman Levin weighs in on a new ICE policy that creates barriers for immigrant survivors of violence. Read more here.
Read MoreHelp Survivors of the El Paso Shooting
At the request of Las Americas, which is coordinating support for El Paso shooting survivors, ASISTA is helping to bring together mental health, social work, faith-based, local political, and legal communities to work with the hundreds of immigrants harmed in the shooting. For more info on Las Americas work with shooting survivors, click here. How…
Read MorePolicy Update: Changes in ICE Guidance Will Impede Access to Protections for Immigrant Survivors of Violence
Late last Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a new fact sheet outlining when they will grant “stays” of deportation to crime victims who have cooperated with law enforcement investigations applying for a U visa. This new guidance will create enormous barriers for survivors of violence; it eliminates critical procedural safeguards and will lead…
Read MoreOrder your ASISTA T-shirt Today!
Stop the Fear. Stop the Deportations. Stop the Abuse. – Order Today! Immigrant victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault are exceedingly vulnerable in the U.S. today, too terrified to tell anyone they need help. As our government significantly ramps up deportation, ASISTA continues it’s fight for immigrant victims’ rights, and it’s support of the…
Read MorePress Statement: ASISTA Response to DHS’ New Expanded Expedited Removal Policy
For Immediate Release: July 25, 2019 – Expansion of Expedited Removal Erodes Due Process and Creates Increased Barriers for Vulnerable Survivors ASISTA denounces the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) plan to expand its ability to fast-track deportation procedures that would leave thousands, including immigrant survivors of crime, vulnerable to deportation without critical due process protections.
Read MoreOrder your ASISTA T-shirt Today!
Only 13 days left to get your ASISTA T-shirt or Sweatshirt soWE NEED YOUR HELP! Buy our incredible T-shirts! They make a GREAT gift for your staff, friends, family, neighbors…anyone! ORDER NOW:https://www.customink.com/fundraising/tshirtasista2019 If you already purchased your t-shirt, post a pic in your ASISTA t-shirt on Facebook or Twitter, tag ASISTA.
Read MoreASISTA Breaking News! April 2019
Exciting times at ASISTA! Read here for important news and updates.
Read MoreASISTA News – April 2019
In this month’s “newsletter” we share strategies for addressing and challenging the latest, myriad attacks on immigrant crime survivors seeking secure status and defending against deportation, including a new advocacy project we hope you will join. Come discuss these and other emerging hot topics at one of our Spring pre-conference all-day CLE trainings! Check it…
Read MoreUndocumented in the Hudson Valley: The Luis Martinez Story
He’s an employer, father, husband, and community member. Why is ICE threatening to deport this man? Read more here.
Read MorePress Statement: ASISTA Response to National Address
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 9, 2019 Contact: Ahlam Moussa, ahlam@asistahelp.org ASISTA Response to President Trump’s National Address Suffield, CT – The following is a statement from Cecelia Friedman Levin, Senior Policy Counsel at ASISTA Immigration Assistance, regarding President Trump’s National Address: President Trump’s remarks last night again demonstrate his misinformed, divisive, and anti-immigrant agenda and ignore the real…
Read MoreJudge strikes down efforts to diminish protections for asylum seekers.
ASISTA applauds the federal court decision yesterday which restores critical protections for asylum seekers fleeing domestic violence and gang brutality. The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies and ACLU challenged the Administration’s harmful expedited removal policies which instructed asylum officers to generally deny domestic violence and gang violence-related claims. ASISTA is proud to have supported the…
Read MoreGuardian: How zero tolerance forces undocumented victims into the shadows
ASISTA weighs in on how harmful changes to immigration policy impacts immigrant survivors of violence. Read more here.
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