Minnesota Board of Judicial Standards Opinion 2015-2: U Visa Certification by Judges

This opinion by the Minnesota Board of Judicial Standards discusses how judges can sign U visa certifications consistent with the codes of judicial ethics. This opinion contains helpful legally correct conclusions, but also contains information and is based on assumptions that are not legally correct under U.S. immigration law. There are two Judicial Training and Education Updates that were published by the Minnesota Supreme Court that clarify and provide additional information obtained from USCIS that clarify some of the inaccuracies in this opinion- one national (), and one for Minnesota (), that discuss this opinion and its implications on U visa certification by judges. The November 30, 2015, U and T Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide or Federal, State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Law Enforcement, Prosecutors, Judges, and Other Government Agencies written by the Department of Homeland Security provides further information for judges on U visa certification, ().