Recent policy proposals call for increased entanglement between immigration enforcement and state and local police, which undermines existing protections for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. This will reduce the likelihood of immigrant victims or witnesses reporting crimes and create unprecedented fear for immigrant families and communities. The reports presented in this document illustrate these problems.
Related Resources
May 2019 Advocate & Legal Services Findings: Immigrant Survivors Fear Reporting Violence
In May 2019, a coalition of national organizations gathered feedback from nearly six hundred advocates and attorneys from across the United States, learning that many immigrant victims of domestic and sexual violence are now too afraid to call the police or go to court to get help. The advocates report that survivors have an increased fear of deportation, retaliation by their abusers, and separation from their children.
FAQs: Immigration Enforcement and Victim Services Programs, 2017
These FAQs address common questions about responding to immigration enforcement activities at victim services programs.
Advisory: Are Victim Services Programs Liable for Criminal “Harboring” When they Work with Immigrant Survivors of Crime? 2017
This Advisory answers common questions about providing shelter and other program services to undocumented victims, describes the law and federal policy, and proposes best practices for programs
Advisory Revised Oct 2018: How Will ‘Public Charge’ Proposed Policy Changes Impact Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is planning to propose regulations that discard longstanding policy about the meaning and application of the “public charge” provisions of immigration law. Proposed policies will have a significant detrimental impact on survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault by deterring immigrant families, including those with U.S.-citizen children, from seeking help when they need it. Safety net benefits can help victims recover and escape from abuse and play a significant role in preventing future harm.
How To Make Sure Immigrant Women Aren’t Left Out of Me Too
We need policies that ensure that all workers, whether they are employees or contractors, have access to safety and justice in the workplace.
Trafficking: Trauma & Trauma-Informed Collaboration & Advocacy, 2018
Building from what trafficking survivors have taught us, this webinar discusses how to identify survivors, how past experience of help-seeking can influence current attempts, and the importance of trauma-informed care at different points of contact with survivors such as raids, arrest, and at shelters.
November 2017