November 11, 2016

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (ICE OPLA) confirmed in a meeting with NIWAP that as of July 2016 all new and experienced Assistant Chief and Enforcement and Removal Operations officers on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) confidentiality protections and on the immigration relief available to immigrant crime victims.  The training covered the following forms of immigration relief: VAWA self-petitioning, VAWA cancellation of removal, VAWA suspension of deportation, U visas, T visas and the 2011 Victim Witness Memo.

ICE OPLA established a procedure for questions that arise in cases involving particular cases of immigrant victims that include contacting the ICE Office of Chief Counsel responsible for the case.  If matters cannot be resolved by the responsible ICE Chief Counsel’s office, OPLA has designated a point of contact on VAWA confidentiality issues to field questions and address concerns.  The memo reflecting the steps ICE OPLA has taken ad the ICE OPLA point of contact is available at:

ICE OPLA VAWA Confidentiality and Immigration Relief for Crime Victims Training (November 11, 2016)