March – August 2022 Serving Immigrant Survivors Best Practices Webinar and Office Hours Series

This series is developed by the National Network to End Domestic Violence in collaboration with the National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project, American University, Washington College of Law

March –August 2022

Webinar Recordings available at: NNEDV Transitional Housing eLearning Platform

Part I – Transitional Housing and Other Services Necessary to Protect Life and Safety (March 31, 2022)

Immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence face considerable barriers in obtaining and maintaining safe and affordable housing. Although immigrant survivors are legally eligible to access a wide range of programs and services that are necessary to protect life and safety without regard to their immigration status, many face difficulties accessing these essential services, including transitional housing.  This webinar will be the first in a three part webinar and office hour series on the legal rights of immigrant domestic and sexual violence victims to access shelter, transitional housing, legal services, emergency food assistance, health care and other life-saving services.  Steps that support immigrant survivor self-sufficiency will be discussed. Attendees with learn tips and receive tools that will improve advocacy for immigrant survivors.

Office Hours – Part I – Transitional Housing and Other Services Necessary to Protect Life and Safety [Date]

These office hours will be a follow up to the webinar. Attendees are encouraged to send questions in advance and to come prepared with questions related to immigrant survivor’s access to transitional housing and other benefit and services necessary to protect life and safety open to all survivors without regard to immigration status. 

Part II – Immigration Relief and Implications for Access to Public and Assisted Housing  May 26, 2022

As immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence begin the process of applying for legal immigration status as victims of crime and abuse, the federal and state funded public benefits survivors can access expands.  This webinar, Part II of this webinar series, will discuss the various forms of immigration relief immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence qualify to receive, how immigration case type and mixed status families impact benefits and housing access and how access to publicly funded benefits improves after filing over the course of a victim’s immigration case. Participants will learn how to identify the crime victim related forms of immigration relief immigrant survivors and their children are eligible to receive with a particular emphasis on VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, U visas, T visas and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Advocacy best practices to help immigrant survivors access public and assisted housing will be discussed.  Participants will receive tools including evidence checklists, step-by-step guides and an online benefits maps will be demonstrated.

PowerPoint Presentation – Immigration Relief and Implications for Access to Public and Assisted Housing

Office Hours – Part II – Immigration Relief and Implications for Access to Public and Assisted Housing June 15, 2022

This office hours section will answer questions spurred by the webinar on access to public benefits for immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence.  Come with questions about immigrant survivor’s full range of housing options and how access to public and assisted housing varies by immigration status of the survivor and/or their children.

Part III – Tips and Tools for Helping Immigrant Survivors Access Public Benefits They are Legally Eligible to Receive August 11, 2022

Immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence living in transitional housing programs have multiple intersecting advocacy needs. Best practices are employed when victim advocates know how to quickly access legally correct information on which federal and state funded public benefits and services immigrant survivors are eligible to receive. This final webinar of a 3-part series will provide attendees with detailed information on the full range of publicly funded benefits and services immigrant domestic and sexual violence victim cam access. Topics to be discussed include housing, health care, income support, food stamps, driver’s licenses, education, child care, unemployment insurance and other benefits.  Eligibility varies by state, by form of immigration case, and the type of benefit the victim is seeking. The webinar will demonstrate how participants can use NIWAP’s online benefits map and state by state charts.  Best practices for accompanying and assisting immigrant survivors applying for benefits will be highlighted.

Office Hours – Part III – Tips and Tools for Helping Immigrant Survivors Access Public Benefits They are Legally Eligible to Receive August 17, 2022

The question and answers during this office hours will address the full range of state and federally funded benefits and services immigrant survivors are eligible to receive and will discuss questions about how to advocate for an immigrant survivor applying for public benefits.

Training Materials

If you are a victim advocate, attorney, judge, or other professional working with an immigrant victim and you would like to receive case specific technical assistance on access to publically funded benefits and services that an immigrant crime victim or immigrant child would be eligible to receive in you state, please call NIWAP for technical assistance.  (202) 274-4457 or email us at info@niwap.org.  You can also visit the public benefits section of NIWAP’s web library https://niwaplibrary.wcl.american.edu/topic/public-benefits/ 

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Public Benefits Interactive Maps and State Charts

Webinars

Legal Rights Overviews and Brochures

Regulations and Policies

Public Benefits and Services for Immigrant Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence

Bench Cards, Flow Charts and Evidence Check Lists

Overviews and Chapters, Multiple Benefits

CARES ACT and COVID-19 Related Resources Accessible to Immigrant Victims

Public Charge and Immigrant Victims

Only Certain Law Enforcement and Benefits Workers Under Limited Circumstances Are Required Under Federal Law to Report Immigrants to DHS

Non-Work Social Security Numbers

Driver’s Licenses

Housing – Shelter and Transitional Housing

Housing – Public and Assisted

Healthcare

SNAP- Food Stamps

TANF

Child Care

Education

Low-Income Home Energy and Weatherization Assistance Programs

Immigration Relief

VAWA Confidentiality

Published March 31, 2022