September 27, 2019: Kensington, MD, Maryland Service Providers Meeting

This training will provide an overview of legal rights and options in Maryland for immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, stalking, human trafficking, and other crimes. The goal of this event will be to enhance the ability of Maryland stakeholders to support immigrant victims by improving service provider’s knowledge, connecting attendees with technical assistance, materials, and tools, and identifying topics where additional training is needed that NIWAP can provide Maryland stakeholders over the next year. Topics this training will cover will include: immigration relief options, safety planning best practices, special issues that arise in family law cases (protection orders, custody, divorce, discovery), access to public benefits including housing and health care, tools for police and prosecutors, and language access legal rights.
In 2016 the Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention published a report on a statewide victim services needs assessment in which one of the primary recommendations was that programs serving victims of crime wanted greater access to more opportunities to receive training from national experts. Victim services, legal services, faith-based, and law enforcement agencies were particularly interested in receiving training to improve agencies’ ability to serve immigrant and limited English proficient (LEP) crime victims.

Training Materials

Materials List

If you are a victim advocate, attorney, judge, or other professional working with an immigrant survivor and you would like to receive case specific technical assistance on any of the issues listed below or other issues related to the legal rights of domestic and sexual violence survivors and their children, please call NIWAP for technical assistance. (202) 274-4457 or email us at info@niwap.org. You can also visit NIWAP’s web library https://niwaplibrary.wcl.american.edu/            

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You can elect NIWAP’s general outreach list to receive notices of trainings, webinars, new materials, resources and policies. Judges, court staff, law enforcement and prosecutors can sign up for lists exclusively open to staff working at one of these government agencies.

Dynamics & Barriers for Immigrant & Refugee Survivors

Language Access for Survivors

Maryland Demographics

  • Total foreign born population – 927,936 persons
  • 3% of the state’s population are foreign born
    • 3% of the state’s population are foreign born
    • 5% naturalized citizens
    • ≈ 28% lawful permanent residents
    • ≈ 19.5% temporary residents and undocumented
  • 0% rise in immigrant population from 2000 to 2017
  • 4% of children in the state under age 18 have 1 or more immigrant parents
    • 7% of children with immigrant parents in the state are U.S. natives.
    • Source (June 2019)

Immigration Protections for Immigrant Survivors

Know Your Rights Information

Tools for Screening, Comparing and Assisting Victims Applying for VAWA, U or T Visa Immigration Relief

VAWA Self-Petition

Abused Spouses of Work Visa Holders

Battered Spouse Waivers

VAWA Cancellation of Removal and Suspension of Deportation

U Visas

T Visas

Child and Student Victims

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status

VAWA Confidentiality

Webpages and Webinars:

Training Materials

VAWA Confidentiality and Discovery

Trauma Informed Help for Immigrant Survivors

Family Law Protections for Immigrant Survivors

Securing Attendance of a Detained Parent at Court

Divorce

Immigration Allegations in Custody Cases

Civil Protection Orders and Immigrant Victims

Economic Relief in Family Court

Access to Publicly Funded Services and Public Benefits for Immigrant Survivors

Public Benefits Interactive Maps and State Charts

Helping Survivors Access Public Benefits

Immigrant Access to Shelter and Transitional Housing Programs

Immigrant Rights to Access Public & Assisted Programs

Health Care

Legal Support for Immigrant Survivors

Collaborative Approaches to Serving Immigrant and Refugee Survivors

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