These scenarios serve as a training tool for police, prosecutors, judges, and other officials to assist in identifying and addressing issues that arise in accessing helpfulness for U visa certification purposes.
Manual: Training Manual for Courts
Training manual for judges, magistrates, commissioners, and court personnel on the legal rights of immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse and human trafficking. These materials also address issues that arise in state court cases involving immigrant children and immigrant parents. Included in these training materials are the U visa certification toolkit for courts.
[pdf] U Visa Law Enforcement Certification Resource Guide (+)
Department of Homeland Security resource guide clarifies and explains the role of certifying agencies in the U visa application process. This guide was published by DHS to provide accurate information on signing I-918B forms for federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other government agencies qualified to sign U visa certifications such as the EEOC, federal and state labor departments, adult and child protective services, and any other eligible agencies that have criminal, civil, or administrative investigative or proprietorial authority. The guide provides information about what a U visa is, how law enforcement and government agencies have a special role in certification, tips on filling out the form, and contains answers to frequently asked questions.
[pdf] U Visa Quick Reference Guide for Judges (+)
Reference guide for judges on purpose, benefits, eligibility, qualifying criminal activities, and other requirements for U-Visas and U visa certification by judges. Part of NIWAP’s U Visa Certification and T Visa Declaration Toolkit for Judges.
[pdf] U-Visa Application Victim Flow Chart (+)
U-visa Application Victim Flow Chart to determine eligibility
[pdf] U-Visa Victim Benefits Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (+)
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (popularly known as the “ACA”) of 2010 sought to increase health care coverage in the United States by requiring that eligible individuals purchase qualified health insurance plans and the establishment of online health insurance exchanges, which contain multiple private health insurance plans. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (popularly known as the “ACA”) of 2010 sought to increase health care coverage in the United States by requiring that eligible individuals purchase qualified health insurance plans and the establishment of online health insurance exchanges, which contain multiple private health insurance plans. Similar to other public benefits, there is no one-size-fits-all rule as to when immigrant victims qualify for subsidies and for what health care benefits may be covered by subsidies. In addition to the federal laws, states have the power to regulate immigrants’ access to health care and to public benefits. Lawfully present U-Visa victims are subject to the individual mandate, unless they meet the low-income exception, and are eligible to purchase insurance on the exchanges. In the vast majority of states, lawfully present U-Visa victims do not receive health care subsidies and when subsidies are offered they are generally only for prenatal and child health care.
[pdf] U-Visa: “Helpfulness” Checklist (+)
This checklist has been developed to assist police, prosecutors, judges, commissioners, magistrates and other U visa certifying officials in identifying the wide range of ways an immigrant crime victim can provide helpfulness to justice system officials and government agencies in detection, investigation, prosecution, conviction or sentencing of U visa listed criminal activity. The document includes citations to U.S. Department of Homeland Security policies, regulations, guidance and training materials on U visa certification and helpfulness. A national team of law enforcement, prosecutors and judicial trainers with expertise and experience on the U visa contributed to the development of the list of examples of helpfulness included in this document based on their experience and expertise.
[pdf] Understanding the Significance of a Minor’s Trauma History in Family Court Rulings (May 18, 2021) (+)
Article discussing the neurobiology of child brain development and how it impacts children who come before state family courts in domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, custody, delinquency, dependency and other cases. The article brings together research findings in the fields of child brain science and research on the traumas experienced by immigrant children in their home countries, during their immigration to the U.S. and trauma and abuse immigrant children experience after arriving in the United States.
[pdf] USCIS Policy Manual Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (Dec 14 2016) (+)
This document is the training manual developed by USCIS used by USCIS officials responsible for adjudicating Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS).
[pdf] VAWA Self-Petitioner Victim Benefits Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (+)
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (popularly known as the “ACA”) of 2010 sought to increase health care coverage in the United States by requiring that eligible individuals purchase qualified health insurance plans and the establishment of online health insurance exchanges, which contain multiple private health insurance plans. In addition to the federal laws, states have the power to regulate immigrants’ access to health care and to public benefits. The ACA created two categories of immigrants: those are who are “lawfully present” and those who are not. VAWA self-petitioners are included in the category of “lawfully present” and are therefore subject to the individual mandate and eligible to purchase insurance on the exchanges if they do not qualify for an income exemption.
[pdf] VAWAvSIJS_7.10.15-SJI-Update-v2_TC (+)
A comparison chart of VAWA and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS).