ANEW Training: Understanding Immigration Law, VAWA Protections and Impacts of Current Policies on Domestic and Sexual Violence Survivors (December 3, 2025)

Presentation

Description

Victim advocates and attorneys play a crucial role supporting immigrant survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking gain access to justice and the full range of services and assistance they are legally entitled to receive. This training will provide an overview of available paths to legal immigration status for survivors of crime, U visa certification, the VAWA confidentiality protections victims receive who file VAWA, T and/or U visa applications, and will discuss best practices for addressing the unique needs of immigrant survivors in protection order cases. The training will also cover public benefits and services open in Illinois to all survivors and how qualified immigrants can access a broader range of public benefits. Participants will learn how to use NIWAP’s public benefits map and state-by-state charts to identify benefits for which immigrant victims may qualify.

VAWA Confidentiality

Three Prongs of VAWA Confidentiality

Letters That Promote ICE Compliance With 2025 Policies and Statutes

Bench Card on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Confidentiality

Advocate’s Guide to Immigrant Survivors’ Rights and Protections

Screening

DHS Interactive Infographic on Protections for Immigrant Victims

Immigration Options for Victims of Crime-Information for Law Enforcement, Healthcare Providers, and Other Front-Line Workers

Immigration Relief for Abused, Abandoned, or Neglected Children Special Immigrant Juvenile Classification

Blue Card: Screening Tool for Victims Who Qualify for Immigration Protective Relief

Immigration Relief for Victims

Bench Card on Immigration Relief for Battered Spouses, Children, and Immigrant Crime Victims

Comparison Chart of U visa, T Visa, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Self-Petition, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Preparing a VAWA Self Petition

T-Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide (October 20,2021)

Certifying Early: When Should You Sign a U or T Visa Certification for a Victim?

U visa Certification and T Visa Declaration Toolkit for Law Enforcement Agencies and Prosecutors (August 30, 2021)

U Visa Certification and T Visa Declaration Toolkit for Federal, State, and Local Judges, Commissioners, Magistrates and Other Judicial Officers (June 17, 2021)

DHS: U and T Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide

Child Protective Services Agency Toolkit: U Visa Certification, T Visa Declaration, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and Violence Against Women Act Immigration Relief for Abused Immigrant Children (December 31, 2024)

U Visa Certification and T Visa Declaration Toolkit for Adult Protective Services (APS) (October 19, 2023)

U-Visa Certification

Illinois: U Visa Certification Law (2022) 

U Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide (February 28, 2022)

U-Visa: “Helpfulness” Checklist 

U-Visas: Victims of Criminal Activity

Model U Visa Certification for Prosecutor’s Offices

Victims of Human Trafficking

Questions for Identifying Trafficked or Enslaved Persons (June 2011)

Domestic Violence and Involuntary Servitude as Human Trafficking (August 17, 2023) 

Sample Question for Identifying Trafficked or Enslaved Persons

Domestic Violence and Involuntary Servitude as Human Trafficking

Let’s Put Science First: Assessing Predatory Helpfulness and Coercive Control to More Accurately Understand Domestic Abuse and Sex Trafficking Webinar

National Judicial Network Peer-to-Peer Session – State Protection Orders: A Civil Remedy for Victims of Human Trafficking (March 4, 2025) 

Trauma Informed Interview

Trauma Informed Structured Interview Questionnaires for Immigrant Cases (SIQI) (July 23, 2024)

Advocate’s and Attorney’s Tool for Developing a Survivor’s Story: Trauma Informed Approach (April 27, 2023)

Evidence Checklist

Evidence Checklist for Battered Immigrant Women Seeking Protection Orders

Evidence Checklist for Immigrant Victims Applying for the Crime Victim Visa

Evidence Check List for Immigrant Victims Applying for VAWA Self-Petitioning

Office of Trafficking in Persons (OTIP)

National Judicial Network & HHS’ Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) 2023 Sessions

HHS OTIP -Child Eligibility Benefits Handout (February 20, 2024)

Civil Protection Orders

Immigrants and Protection Orders Bench Card (March 30, 2019)

Civil Protection Order Webinars For Judges, Court Staff, Attorneys and Victim Advocates – National Judicial Network (2023 & 2024)

National Judicial Network Peer-to-Peer Session – State Protection Orders: A Civil Remedy for Victims of Human Trafficking (March 4, 2025)

Healthcare

Health Care Options for Immigrant Survivors Factsheet (August 5, 2024)

Coverage for Forensic Costs for Immigrant Crime Victims (August 2, 2024)

Health Care Access for Lawfully Present Immigrants – Definitions (May 27, 2024)

Programs Open to Immigrant Victims and All Immigrants Without Regard to Immigration Status (July 23, 2015)

Public Benefits – Illinois

All State Public Benefits Charts and Interactive Public Benefits Map (2025)

Illinois Public Benefits Chart (2025)

Illinois Public Benefits Screening Chart for Immigrant Survivors and Refugees by Forms of Immigration Relief (January 6, 2025)

Benefits – Timelines

Table Comparing Public Benefits Access for Immigrant Survivors-Illinois (December 3, 2025)

VAWA Infographic Public Benefits Timeline-Illinois (November 29, 2025)

SIJS Infographic Public Benefits Timeline- Illinois (December 3, 2025)

T Visa Infographic Public Benefits Timeline-Illinois (November 29, 2025)

U Visa Infographic Public Benefits Timeline-Illinois (November 29, 2025)

NIWAP Directory
Directory of Programs With Experience Serving Immigrant Victims

Published December 3, 2025