Role of Immigration Status in Your Case: A criminal investigation should include an inquiry into the motives and motivations of the offender. If there is evidence that the victim was targeted because of their known or perceived immigration status, that evidence may be relevant to the case. Likewise, in cases where the victim is known to the offender, there will likely be evidence that the offender used the victim’s immigration status to threaten the victim, to assert power and control in a relationship, to keep the victim from reporting the crime, and/or to pressure the victim into dropping charges.