This webinar will review the expansions in access to legal services by immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking, and other U visa crimes, regardless of immigration status, made by the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005) that Legal Services Corporation (LSC) implemented in its new LSC 2014 regulations. These regulations govern how immigrant crime victims can access assistance from legal aid and legal services organizations that receive LSC funding. VAWA 2005 ended restrictions and significantly expanded access to LSC funded agencies creating direct access to legal representation without regard to immigration status for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking, dating violence, child and elder abuse and other U visa covered criminal activities. This webinar will discuss: how immigrant survivors can receive legal services under anti-abuse statutes; the legal assistance related to the abuse that can be offered; at what point in the process immigrants can receive full representation under immigrant regulations; and how immigrant survivors’ benefit from successful collaborations between LSC funded programs and immigrant survivor advocates and attorneys.

• PowerPoint Presentation for Training
• “And Legal Services for All” Article
• Guide: Access to Publicly Funded Legal Services for Immigrant Survivors
• LSC Program Letter 06-2: Violence Against Women Act 2006 Amendments
• LSC Program Letter 14-2: Alien Eligibility Under 45 C.F.R. Part 1626
• Final LSC Regulations and Preamble April 2014
• Legal Services Corporation Immigrant Representation Regulations 45 C.F.R. 1626, April 18, 2014

2014 LSC Regulations:

• Proposed Rule: Legal Services Corporation – Immigrant Access Based on Anti-Abuse Laws or Immigration Status (August 21, 2013)
• NIWAP Comments on Proposed Rule Updates to the Legal Services Corporation Regulation on Legal Assistance to Alien. 45 CFR Part 1626 – 78 Fed. Reg. 51696
• Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Legal Services Corporation – Immigrant Access Based on Anti-Abuse Laws or Immigration Status (February 5, 2014)
• NIWAP Comments on Proposed LSC Rule (October 21, 2013)
• Final Rule: Legal Services Corporation – Immigrant Access Based on Anti-Abuse Laws or Immigration Status (April 18, 2014)
• Program Letter 14-2: Alien Eligibility Under 45 C.F.R. Part 1626 (May 19, 2014)
• Appendix to Regulations: Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC-Funded Programs (May 19, 2014)
• Legal Services Corporation: Program Letter 14-3: ASSESSING ELIGIBILITY OF ALIENS UNDER 45 CFR 1626.4(C)(1)

BROCHURE: ACCESS TO PUBLICLY FUNDED LEGAL SERVICES FOR BATTERED IMMIGRANTS

PATHWAYS TO LSC FUNDED REPRESENTATION – Screening guide and flow chart showing pathways to representation for immigrant victims under LSC  anti-abuse regulations .