This panel was presented at the 2019 Maryland Crime Victims’ Rights Conference and provided participants with better practices to provide services to assist and serve underserved victims of crime. The panel covered various topics that include victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, child abuse, and non-English speaking victims. We have included materials from several of the presenters here.  This web page concludes with a list of links to materials important to work with immigrant survivors from NIWAP.

NIWAP Materials

Immigration Relief for Crime Victims and Children

Know Your Rights Information

• DHS Interactive Infographic on Protections for Immigrant Victims
• Immigration Options for Victims of Crime -DHS Brochure
• Multilingual Materials for Victims and Advocates

Forms of Immigration Relief

• Bench Card: Overview of Types of Immigration Status
• Family Court Bench Card on Immigration Rights of 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)
• Identifying Forms of Immigration Relief Available for Battered Immigrant Victims^**
• Blue Card: Screening for Victims Who Qualify for Immigration Protective Relief (Squad Car Screening Tool)
• Glossary of Terms for Work with Immigrant Survivors

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Child Abuse & Protective Battered Immigrant Parents

• The Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Bench Book: A National Guide to Best Practice for Judges and Courts (April 2018)
• Chapter I – Introduction to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
• Immigration Protection Screening Checklist: Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
• Abused, Abandoned, or Neglected: Legal Options for Recent Immigrant Women and Girls (August 2016)
• Immigration Relief for Abused Children
• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: Information for Child Welfare Workers

U and T Visa Certification

• U Visa Certification Tool Kit for Federal, State, and Local Judges, Commissioners, and Magistrates
• U Visa Quick Reference for Judges (September 4, 2018)
• U-Visa Flow Chart
• DHS U and T Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide
• U-Visa: “Helpfulness” Checklist
• Chapter 10 U-Visa: Victims of Criminal Activity
• Evidence Checklist for Immigrant Victims Applying for the Crime Victim Visa
• USCIS U Visa Certification Factsheet Q&A
• DHS: Instructions for Form I-914, Supplement B
• DHS: Form I-914, Supplement B for T visa Endorsement
• DHS: Form I-918, Supplement B, for U visa Certification
• DHS: Instructions for Form I-918, Supplement B, for U visa Certification
• DHS Policy Answers to Law Enforcement Reasons for Not Certifying
• U Visa News Articles
• The Importance of the U-visa as a Crime-Fighting Tool for Law Enforcement Officials – Views from Around the Country
• Protecting Our Communities and Officer Safety
• Overcoming Fear and Building Trust With Immigrant Communities and Crime Victims (Police Chief Magazine April 2018)
• Bench Card: DHS Enforcement Priorities, Courthouse Enforcement and Sensitive Location Policies and Memoranda: Information for State Court Judges
• Understanding the Judicial Role in U-Visa Certification, American Journal of Family Law
• New U and T Visa Application and Certification Forms (January and February 2017)
• U Visa Toolkit for Adult Protective Services’ Use of the U Visa (February 2014)
• U Visa Toolkit for Federal, State, and Local Judges, Commissioners, Magistrates and Other Judicial Officers
• U Visa Toolkit for Law Enforcement Agencies and Prosecutors
• Trauma Informed Structured Interview Questionnaires

VAWA Confidentiality

• VAWA Confidentiality Protections for Immigrant Crime Victims (Webpage) (February 23, 2017)
• Three Prongs of VAWA Confidentiality
• Advocate’s Guide to Immigrant Survivors’ Rights and Protections (2013)
• Chapter 3 of Empowering Survivors:  VAWA Confidentiality, History, Purpose, DHS Implementation, and Violations of VAWA Confidentiality Protections
• Newsletter on VAWA Confidentiality
• Family Court Bench Card on VAWA Confidentiality

VAWA Self-Petition

• VAWA Self-Petitioning Flow Chart for Child Applicants
• Flowchart: VAWA Self-Petitioning Eligibility for Elder Abuse Survivors
• Flowchart: VAWA Self-Petitioning Eligibility for Adults
• Information on the Legal Rights Available to Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence in the US and Facts about Immigrating on a Marriage-based Visa
• Chapter 01.1 Dynamics of Domestic Violence Experienced by Immigrant Victims
• Chapter 01.2: Collaboration, Confidentiality, and Expanding Advocacy

Human Trafficking

• Brochure: Continued Presence & Temporary Immigration Status for Victims of Human Trafficking
• Chapter 11: Human Trafficking and the T-Visa

Language Access

• DOJ Letter to State Chief Justices and State Court Administrators on Access for Limited English Proficient Persons to State Court Proceedings
• Judicial Bench Card for Court Interpretation
• Serving Limited English Proficient Immigrant Victims^**

Family Law Cases: Special Issues for Immigrant Crime Victims and Children

Custody

• Family Court Bench Card on Issues that Arise in Custody Cases Involving Immigrant Parents, Children, and Crime Victims
• Custody of Children in Mixed Status Families: Preventing the Misunderstanding and Misuse of Immigration Status in State-Court Custody Proceedings
• Obtaining Custody of Children for Battered Immigrants^**
• Vulnerable but not Broken: Psychosocial Challenges and Resilience Pathways in Unaccompanied Children from Central America
• Immigration Status, Work Authorization, Public Benefits, and Ability to Sponsor Children

Student Visa Holders

• Foreign Born Student Victims of Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, and Sexual Harassment: Special Needs of “J” Visa Holders
• Foreign Born Student Victims of Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, and Sexual Harassment: Special Needs of “M” Visa Holders
• Pathways to Immigration Relief for Students
• National Findings on University and College Responses to Foreign-born Student Victims (October 27, 2016)
• Student Aid Eligibility – Eligibility for Title IV Aid for “Battered Immigrant-Qualified Aliens” as provided for the Violence Against Women Act

Protection Orders

• Immigrants and Protection Orders Bench Card
• Battering or Extreme Cruelty Drawing Examples from Civil Protection Orders and Family Law Cases
• Seeking Protection Orders for Immigrant Victims^**
• Chapter 05.1: Battered Immigrants and Civil Protection Orders
• Battered Immigrant Women in the United States and Protection Orders: An Exploratory Research
• Chapter 14.01: Protection Orders of Immigrant Victims for Sexual Assault
• Unintended Consequences: How Civil Protection Orders Affect Immigrants, Delaware Lawyer’s Magazine

Public Benefits Access of Immigrant Victims

• Public Benefits Bench Card
• Interactive Public Benefits Map
• State by State public benefits charts – by immigrant victim case type and benefits program
• Maryland Public Benefits Chart
• VAWA Public Benefits Eligibility Process: VAWA Self-petitioners, VAWA Cancellation of Removal, and VAWA Suspension of Deportation
• U Visa Victims Benefits Eligibility Process (Bench Card)
• Trafficking Victims Benefits Eligibility Process (Bench Card)
• Joint Agency Letter on Shelters and Transitional Housing
• Access to Publicly Funded Legal Services for Battered Immigrants
• Access to Public and Assisted Housing VAWA Self-Petitioners –Webpage (January 26, 2017)
• Post-VAWA 2013: Immigrant Crime Victims and Public Charge
• Programs Open to Immigrant Victims and All Immigrants Without Regard to Immigration Status 
• Anti-Discrimination Provisions that Apply to Programs Receiving Federal Funding Serving Victims of Violence against Women Crimes
• February 2018 Newsletter: Amicus on Gender-Based Asylum; ICE New Courthouse Enforcement Policy and Crime Victims

Maryland Children’s Alliance

• Link to website: marylandchildrensalliance.org
• Standards for Accredited Member Programs

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault

• Link to website: https://mcasa.org/
• Sexual Assault Legal Institute (SALI) – division of the MD Coalition against Sexual Assault

We offer technical assistance on a broad range of issues including access to services, safety and legal rights, more information can be found here.

^**If you have difficulty accessing this publication please contact for assistance NIWAP at (202) 274-4457 or info@niwap.org