The policy update will help provide stability to U Visa Petitioners supporting law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute crimes WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating the USCIS Policy Manual to implement a new process, referred to as Bona Fide Determination, which will give victims of crime in the United States access to employment authorization sooner, providing them with stability and better equipping them to cooperate with and assist law enforcement investigations and prosecutions. "Today we are taking steps to help victims of crime and promote public safety," said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. "These are individuals who have come forward to help law enforcement keep us all safe, but who are in need of a measure of protection for themselves as well. The Bona Fide Determination process is consistent with the Department's statutory authorities and will ensure these individuals receive the support they need." "Victims of crime need a way to support themselves as they heal and continue their pursuit of justice," said USCIS Acting Director Tracy Renaud. "This Bona Fide Determination process will allow U visa petitioners to work while they remain safely in the United States, providing valuable support to law enforcement to detect, investigate, or prosecute the serious crimes they have survived or witnessed." Through this new process, USCIS will issue employment authorization and grant deferred action to petitioners in the United States with pending U visa petitions that it determines are bona fide (made in good faith and without intention of deceit or fraud) and who merit a favorable exercise of discretion. To be considered bona fide, the petition must include a certification from law enforcement that the petitioner was a victim of a crime and that the victim has been, is being, or is likely to be helpful in the investigation or prosecution of that crime. Congress has capped the number of principal U visas available each fiscal year at 10,000, but since 2010 USCIS has received more than 10,000 U visa petitions each year. As a result of this high case volume, U visa petitioners now wait approximately five years before receiving a determination that allows them access to an employment authorization document and deferred action. This wait time not only leaves these individuals vulnerable to financial instability and fear of deportation, but it also can disincentivize victims from coming forward and cooperating with law enforcement. Through this policy update, victims with pending bona fide petitions will receive the stability they need as they rebuild their lives while working with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute criminal activity. This increase in victim cooperation will further fortify law enforcement's ability to protect communities throughout the United States.
USCIS will issue employment authorization and deferred action if, after conducting and reviewing background checks, the agency determines, in its discretion, that petitioners merit a favorable exercise of discretion and do not pose a risk to national security or public safety. This guidance is effective immediately and applies to all Form I-918 and Form I-918A petitions that are currently pending or filed on or after June 14, 2021. Congress created the U nonimmigrant visa with the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (including the Battered Immigrant Women's Protection Act) in October 2000. The legislation was intended to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and other qualifying crimes, while also protecting victims of crimes who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse due to the crime and who cooperate with law enforcement authorities during the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity. In the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, Congress specifically authorized DHS to grant employment authorization to a noncitizen who has a pending, bona fide petition for U nonimmigrant status. This guidance implements that authority. This reform is one of a number of initiatives designed to eliminate complex, costly, and unjustified administrative burdens and barriers, and thus to improve our immigration processes. Visit Victims of Human Trafficking and Other Crimes to learn more about other protections for victims of crime, human trafficking and domestic violence. For more information see the policy alert. For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
|
Monday, June 14, 2021
USCIS Issues Policy Providing Further Protections for Victims of Crime
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Page List
Blog Archive
- November 2024 (650)
- October 2024 (2862)
- September 2024 (2667)
- August 2024 (3156)
- July 2024 (3241)
- June 2024 (3107)
- May 2024 (3196)
- April 2024 (3104)
- March 2024 (3192)
- February 2024 (3006)
- January 2024 (3261)
- December 2023 (3176)
- November 2023 (3188)
- October 2023 (3191)
- September 2023 (2961)
- August 2023 (3120)
- July 2023 (3024)
- June 2023 (3042)
- May 2023 (3205)
- April 2023 (3030)
- March 2023 (2986)
- February 2023 (2584)
- January 2023 (2694)
- December 2022 (2745)
- November 2022 (2899)
- October 2022 (2916)
- September 2022 (2970)
- August 2022 (2981)
- July 2022 (2814)
- June 2022 (2759)
- May 2022 (2768)
- April 2022 (2692)
- March 2022 (2851)
- February 2022 (2550)
- January 2022 (2715)
- December 2021 (2641)
- November 2021 (2745)
- October 2021 (2836)
- September 2021 (2847)
- August 2021 (2756)
- July 2021 (2572)
- June 2021 (2738)
- May 2021 (2579)
- April 2021 (2698)
- March 2021 (2789)
- February 2021 (2532)
- January 2021 (2617)
- December 2020 (2664)
- November 2020 (2637)
- October 2020 (2824)
- September 2020 (2745)
- August 2020 (2704)
- July 2020 (2749)
- June 2020 (2669)
- May 2020 (2199)
- April 2020 (4060)
- March 2020 (5898)
- February 2020 (6963)
- January 2020 (7455)
- December 2019 (10)
Search This Blog
Austin Highlights Critical Role of Partnerships at Southcom Change of Command
View Online Austin Highlights Critical Role of ...
-
View Images Library Photos and Pictures. Как сделать усилитель сигнала сотовой связи своими руками Усилитель 3G сигнала своими руками Антен...
-
Download Images Library Photos and Pictures. 3 Graduation Invitation Letter Sample Invitation Letter Sample Invitation Letter To Friend For...
No comments:
Post a Comment