Timely Tools Series – Part 1: Enhancing Protections for Immigrant Survivors

Armed with up-to-date, legally accurate information, victim advocates, attorneys, health care professionals, and law enforcement and prosecution agencies can enhance the important role they play in supporting immigrant survivors of sexual and domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking. Participants in this two-part webinar will learn best practices for assisting immigrant survivors seeking legal immigration relief, health care, benefits, and accessing justice system protections.  Part I will discuss new tools victim advocates can use in safety planning with immigrant survivors that meet current and emerging needs.  Topics and tools to be covered include VAWA confidentiality’s statutory protections that can help deter victims’ deportation, advocates’ role in trauma-informed interviewing and support for victims pursuing U and T visas, and the importance for immigrant survivors of building and sustaining collaborative relationships with law enforcement and prosecution agency staff.

Timely Tools Series Part 1: PowerPoint Presentation

Training Materials for Victim Advocates and Attorneys (February 23, 2025)

Timely Tools Series – Part 2: Promoting Immigrant Survivor’s Access to Benefits, Health Care, and Protection Orders in Maine

As immigrant survivors of sexual assault file for victim-based forms of legal immigration relief, their ability to access benefits and services expands, and there is a significant increase in survivors’ willingness to seek civil protection orders.  Identifying sex and labor trafficking co-occurring with sexual and family violence results in greater access to life-saving benefits more quickly for child and adult victims. Webinar attendees will learn how to quickly access legally correct information on which benefits and services immigrant survivors and their children are eligible to receive in Kentucky. Topics will include: SANE exams; follow-up health care options for immigrant sexual assault survivors; and creative civil protection order remedies needed by immigrant survivors. To support participants’ work with immigrant survivors, the webinar will demonstrate how participants can use NIWAP’s online benefits map and state-by-state charts. 

Timely Tools Series Part 2: PowerPoint Presentation

VAWA Confidentiality

Three Prongs of VAWA Confidentiality

Letters That Promote ICE Compliance With 2025 Policies and Statutes

Videos Explaining How to Use Letters That Promote Ice Compliance With 2025 Policies And Statutes

Bench Card on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Confidentiality

Advocate’s Guide to Immigrant Survivors’ Rights and Protections

Screening

DHS Interactive Infographic on Protections for Immigrant Victims

Immigration Options for Victims of Crime-Information for Law Enforcement, Healthcare Providers, and Other Front-Line Workers

Immigration Relief for Abused, Abandoned, or Neglected Children Special Immigrant Juvenile Classification

12 Question Predatory Helpfulness Screener

Immigration Relief for Victims

Bench Card on Immigration Relief for Battered Spouses, Children, and Immigrant Crime Victims

Comparison Chart of U visa, T Visa, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Self-Petition, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Chapter 10: U Visas: Victims of Criminal Activity

Preparing a VAWA Self Petition

T-Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide (October 20,2021)

Certifying Early: When Should You Sign a U or T Visa Certification for a Victim?

DHS: U and T Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide

U and T Visa Certification

U Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide (February 28, 2022)

U-Visa: “Helpfulness” Checklist 

U-Visas: Victims of Criminal Activity

Chapter 04: The U-Visa Remedy for Immigrant Victims of Sexual Assault and the Need For Multidimensional Collaboration

T-Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide (October 20,2021)

Model U Visa Certification for Prosecutor’s Offices

• Hennepin County Attorney’s Office U Visas and T Visas Certification Policy (Full Policy) (January 8, 2024)
• Hennepin County Attorney’s Office U Visas and T Visas Certification Policy (March 7, 2024)

Toolkits

U Visa Certification and T Visa Declaration Toolkits

U Visa Certification and T Visa Declaration Toolkit for Adult Protective Services (APS) (October 19, 2023)

Child Protective Services Agency Toolkit: U Visa Certification, T Visa Declaration, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and Violence Against Women Act Immigration Relief for Abused Immigrant Children (December 31, 2024)

U visa Certification and T Visa Declaration Toolkit for Law Enforcement Agencies and Prosecutors (August 30, 2021)

U Visa Certification and T Visa Declaration Toolkit for Federal, State, and Local Judges, Commissioners, Magistrates and Other Judicial Officers (June 17, 2021)

Office of Trafficking in Persons (OTIP)

National Judicial Network & HHS’ Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) 2023 Sessions

HHS OTIP -Child Eligibility Benefits Handout (February 20, 2024)

Trauma Informed Interview Questions

Trauma Informed Structured Interview Questionnaires for Immigrant Cases (SIQI)

Sample Question for Identifying Trafficked or Enslaved Persons

Advocate’s and Attorney’s Tool for Developing a Survivor’s Story: Trauma-Informed Approach

Family Law 

Custody

Child Custody and Immigration-Related Abuse: Myths and Best Practices National Webinar (December 13, 2021) 

Bench Card: DHS Enforcement Priorities Information for State Court Judges (April 24, 2013, Updated December 27, 2021)

Family Court Bench Card on Issues that Arise in Custody Cases Involving Immigrant Parents, Children, and Crime Victims

The 2025 ICE Detained Parents Directive Vs. the 2022 ICE Parental Interests Directive

Philadelphia Legal Assistance: Planning for Custody

Detained or Deported: What About My Children? What to do if You Can’t Be With Them [pdf]

Civil Protection Orders

Chapter 05.1: Battered Immigrants and Civil Protection Orders (July 1, 2013) 

Chapter 14.01: Protection Orders of Immigrant Victims for Sexual Assault (July 3, 2013)

Creative Methods in Protecting Battered Immigrants (June 20, 2014) 

Divorce

Bench Card: Impact of Divorce on Immigration Status (December 28, 2021)

Bench Card for State Court Judges on Common Issues that Arise From Parties’ Immigration Status: Economic Remedies (March 10, 2022)

Affidavits of Support and Enforceability Bench Card (June 13, 2024)

Economic Relief

Bench Card for State Court Judges on Common Issues that Arise From Parties’ Immigration Status: Economic Remedies (March 10, 2022)

Chapter 06.4: Ensuring Economic Relief for Immigrant Victims Through Family Law Proceedings: Child Support and Spousal Support (July 1, 2013) 

Access to Public Benefits

Interactive Public Benefits Map

Maine Public Benefits Screening Chart

Access to State-Funded Public Benefits in Maine for Survivors

NIWAP Directory

Directory of Programs With Experience Serving Immigrant Victims

Programs Open to Immigrant Victims and All Immigrants Without Regard to Immigration Status