The state of Washington approved the Safety and Access for Immigrant Victims Act in 2018, which outlines the certification process in that state for immigrant victims of crime. This Washington state law requires law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, hearing officers, and other state and local agencies including the department of labor and industries and the department of social services and health to sign U and T visa certifications. Requires that certification requests be processed within 90 days or receipt unless the victim is in removal proceedings in which case the response is required within 14 days. For victim children the agency must respond to requests within 90 days but no later than 14 days before the date the child turns age 21. Requires that agencies designate certifiers, keep written records of the number of certifications received, denied, approved, and withdrawn, develop a language access plan, and nondisclosure of personally identifying information about victims requesting certification. The law requires that the state set up a crime victim certification steering committee.
Publisher: Washington State
[pdf] Request That SSA Issue A Non-Work SSN to a Benefits Eligible Immigrant (June 2014 – Washington State Sample) (+)
Sample request for from a state agency that an immigrant be issued a non-work social security number that the immigrant needs to be able to receive or continue to receive public benefits that the immigrant is eligible to receive under state or federal public benefits laws. Only some types of state and federal public benefits programs require that all recipients have a social security number. For example, VAWA self-petitioners and human trafficking victims will be eligible for public and assisted housing before they may receive work authorization. If an immigrant victim is eligible for a federal or state public benefit that requires that recipients have social security numbers, they need to obtain a letter from the public benefits agency stating that the immigrant is eligible for a state or federal benefit and asking that the immigrant be issued a non-work social security number by the Social Security Administration. This sample contains the language similar to what should be included in a draft letter that advocates and attorneys can prepare and submit electronically to the benefits granting agency so that they can issue a letter similar to this one on their stationary. The immigrant victim applying for a non-work SSN will need to submit a letter similar to this one with their application for a non-work SSN.