ASISTA Blog

Updates on Practice and Advocacy

IT IS THE TIME …

By Maria Lazzarino | Nov 19, 2021
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ASISTA Opposes Harmful Proposed Rule Expanding Biometric Collection & Surveillance

By Admin | Oct 14, 2020

On October 13, 2020, ASISTA submitted a comment in response to USCIS harmful new proposed rule that would pose significant privacy, confidentiality and safety implications for immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking, and other gender-based abuses. The proposed rule would change, among other things: Drastically increase the types of biometric information collected…

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ACTION ALERT: Organizing Local Allies

By Maria Lazzarino | Apr 28, 2020

COVID-19 is exacerbating the already tremendous barriers survivors face in accessing safety and secure status. Although we are pushing Congress to change its policies to recognize COVID’s impact on survivors and their ability to file paper, get work authorization extensions, etc., we need your help educating your Members of Congress. What can you do?

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Impact of Latest Executive Order on Survivor-based Forms of Immigration Benefits

By Admin | Apr 23, 2020

by: Cecelia Friedman Levin, ASISTA Policy Director with Grace Huang, Policy Director, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-based Violence Yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order temporarily halting entry of certain individuals seeking to enter the U.S. on immigrant visas (as permanent residents) for 60 days. The order will be effective as of 11:59 pm ET…

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Serving Survivors Who May be At Risk of Immigration Enforcement Actions

By Admin | Jul 11, 2019

ASISTA condemns the Administration’s plans for mass raids, now slated to start this Sunday. These mass immigration enforcement actions create immense fear in communities nationwide. For immigrant survivors of violence, these raids exacerbate the trauma and fear they already endure because of the abuse they have experienced. Advocates can help address this fear by providing…

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Resources for those Serving Survivors at Risk of Enforcement Actions

By Admin | Jun 28, 2019

Last week, the Administration announced that they would delay the mass raids scheduled for last week. Even though these actions have been briefly delayed, the announcement of these mass immigration enforcement actions created immense fear nationwide. For immigrant survivors of violence, this news exacerbates the trauma and fear they already endure because of the abuse they…

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ASISTA Joins Over 150 Organization in Opposition to Harmful Asylum Ban

By Admin | Jan 10, 2019

This week ASISTA Immigration Assistance is privileged to join National Immigrant Justice Center, Human Rights First and over 150 organizations in submitting a comment in response to the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security adoption of an interim final rule barring access to asylum for those who enter the United States outside…

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Challenging USCIS harmful changes to fee waiver policy

By Admin | Dec 20, 2018

In November 2018,  ASISTA fought back on harmful USCIS changes to fee waiver practices and forms.  USCIS is creating barriers to equal access to survivor protections, especially for survivors who have few financial resources of their own. ASISTA created a template comment for advocates to share how these damaging changes affect survivors, and you can…

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Do you have the right email addresses for the Hotline?

By Admin | Feb 21, 2018

We have heard from the VAWA Unit at the Vermont Service Center (VSC) that some stakeholders may be reaching out to the VAWA Unit Hotlines using an incorrect email address, (e.g. sending an email to hotlinefollowupi918i914.vsc@dhs.gov, which is the wrong domain). Even when you reach out to the dhs.gov email, you may still receive an auto-response that your message…

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