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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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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VAWA Practice Advisory: VAWA Self-Petition Policy Updates (June 2022)

ASISTA, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (“ILRC”), and Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (“CLINIC”) co-authored the VAWA Practice Advisory: VAWA Self-Petition Policy Updates. Click here to access the Executive Summary: VAWA Self-Petition Policy Updates (June 2022), and here to download the practice advisory in Word version. This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-21-GK-02240-MUMU awarded…

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Advisory on new T Visa sections of the USCIS Policy Manual (November 2021)

ASISTA and CAST developed this advisory to highlight significant changes to the T visa section of the USCIS Policy Manual that went into effect on October 20, 2021. Changes include: Additional guidance on the intersections between trafficking/domestic violence and trafficking/smuggling; Physical presence on account of trafficking; Extended work authorization when filing a timely I-485 under…

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New ASISTA Policy Alert, Q&A on ICE Directive: Using a Victim-Centered Approach with Noncitizen Crime Victims (Current as of August 23, 2021)

On August 10, 2021, ICE issued a new agency directive superseding guidance from 2019 regarding stay of removal requests and removal proceedings involving U visa petitioners (hereinafter “Directive”). The Directive outlines new policies and procedures regarding exercising prosecutorial discretion for victims of crime, including those eligible for victim-based immigration relief (including VAWA self-petitions, U and…

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ASISTA Practice Alert Regarding Certain U Visa ‘After-Acquired Spouse’ Cases (Feb. 11, 2021)

In December, the 9th Circuit held in Medina Tovar v. Zuchowski that certain after-acquired spouses of U visa petitioners are eligible to “accompany or follow to join” the U-1 through the I-918A petitioning process. The Court recently issued its mandate on 1/25/2021. The judgment in Medina Tovar is therefore in effect as of 1/25/2021.  We’ve prepared this Practice Alert to help you…

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New Practice Advisory: Insight into USCIS’s Application of the “No-Blanks” Policy to U-Visa Petitions

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), ASISTA and the Domestic Violence Project (DVP) of the Urban Justice Center have published a new practice advisory based on new USCIS documentation obtained by FOIA litigation brought by Cleary Gottlieb on behalf of DVP.   This advisory contains a summary of the records USCIS released through the FOIA litigation , as…

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Updated Practice Advisory: Status of USCIS Fee Rule

Over the last few week, there have been several updates that impact fee waiver practice. ASISTA has updated its fee rule advisory to provide additional background information and updates for agencies working with immigrant survivors and their families.

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ASISTA Practice Pointer: DHS Freedom of Information Act Requests (August 31, 2020)

We are happy to share ASISTA’s new practice pointer: DHS Freedom of Information Act Requests. This practice pointer includes a breakdown of each DHS agency’s record keeping, sample FOIA language, and information on administrative appeals of FOIA results.  For additional helpful tips, take a look at our recent webinar, FOIA Requests to DHS in Survivor-Based Cases.

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Updated COVID-19 Practice Pointer: Filing Deadlines for RFEs, NOIDs, NOIRs and I-290Bs (Current as of May 18, 2020)

While we continue to advocate and await further guidance, we have prepared this Practice Pointer, Filing Deadlines for RFEs, NOIDs, NOIRs, and I-290Bs, to assist you in the meeting deadlines during this national emergency. We encourage you to also visit our partners pages on COVID-19, CLINIC and CAST. To download the advisory in Word version,…

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COVID-19 Practice Pointer: Initial Filings of U/T visa petitions and VAWA self-petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (Current as of May 12, 2020)

In this practice advisory, ASISTA provides practice tips on how to comply with deadlines and submit initial filings during the COVID-19 national emergency. Click here to download the practice pointer in Word version.  This project is supported by Grant No. 2017-TA-AX-K061 awarded by the United States Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. The…

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ASISTA Practice Advisory: The Impact of Matter of N-L-Y-, 27 I&N Dec. 755 (BIA 2020)

ASISTA has developed this Practice Advisory: The Impact of Matter of L-N-Y-, 27 I&N 755 (BIA 2020), which provides a detailed overview of provisions in this precedential decision, discusses its intersection with other BIA decisions on continuances, and provides best practices for requesting continuances for U visa applicants in removal proceedings. We’ve also summarized our key…

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ASISTA 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…

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