NIWAP, in partnership with the District of Columbia Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants, presented a virtual training on public benefits for Washington D.C.-based victim advocates (nonprofit or government agency), attorneys, and other professionals who encounter immigrant victims of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking.
If you are a victim advocate, attorney, judge, or other professional working with an immigrant victim and you would like to receive case specific technical assistance on family law issues that arise in cases
of immigrant crime victims, please call NIWAP for technical assistance. (202) 274-4457 or email us at info@niwap.org.
You can also visit the family law issues section of NIWAP’s web library
https://niwaplibrary.wcl.american.edu/topic/family-law/
To receive updates, sign up for NIWAP’s outreach list.
You can elect NIWAP’s general outreach list to receive notices of trainings, webinars, new materials, resources and policies.
Judges, court staff, law enforcement and prosecutors can sign up for lists exclusively open to staff working at one of these government agencies: https://secure.campaigner.com/CSB/Public/Form.aspx?fid=1682905&ac=fohe
Training Materials
Public Benefits Access of Immigrant Victims
- Public Benefits Map
- DC Public Benefits Screening Chart
- DC Demographics
- All State Public Benefits Charts
- A Guide to Public Benefits Map for Immigrant Survivors of Crime
Legal Rights Overviews and Brochures
- Multilingual Materials for Victims and Advocates
- World Language Identification Guide: I Speak (Raksha)
- DHS interactive Infographic on Protections for Immigrant Victims
- DHS Brochure: Immigration Options for Victims of Crime
- Information on the Legal Rights Available to Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence in the United States and Facts about Immigrating on a Marriage-Based Visa
- Pathways to Immigration Relief for Students
Immigration Options for Immigrant Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence
- DHS interactive Infographic on Protections for Immigrant Victims
- DHS Brochure: Immigration Options for Victims of Crime
- Blue Card: Screening Tool for Victims Who Qualify for Immigration Protective Relief (March 2, 2018)
- Family Court Bench Card on Immigration Rights of 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)
- VAWA Red Flags
- Tools for Advocates Assisting Immigrant Crime Victims in Immigration Cases
- Chapter 3.3 VAWA Self-Petition (2013)
- Chapter 10 U-Visas: Victims of Criminal Activity (2013)
- Human Trafficking and the T-Visa
VAWA Confidentiality
- Three Prongs of VAWA Confidentiality
- Family Court Bench Card on VAWA Confidentiality
- Quick Reference: VAWA Confidentiality Protections: Quoting Statutes, Regulations and DHS Policies 3.29.19
- Interlineated statute
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement January 2018 Courthouse Enforcement Policy and VAWA Confidentiality Protections for Immigrant Crime Victims (January 31, 2018)
- VAWA Confidentiality Statutes, Legislative History and Implementing Policy (2.23.17)
- DHS Broadcast Message on New 384 Class of Admission Code Alerting Personnel of a Victim Protected by VAWA Confidentiality Protections
Public Benefits Bench Cards
- Public Benefits Flow Charts: VAWA Self-Petition and Cancellation, U-Visas, T-Visas and SIJS
- Family Court Bench Card on Immigrant Crime Victim Access to Public Benefits and Services
- Bench Card on Trafficking Victim Benefits Eligibility Process
- Bench Card on U Visa Victim Benefits Eligibility Process
Overviews and Chapters, Multiple Public Benefits
- Public Benefits Toolkit
- Economic Relief and Public Benefits materials List – Multi-State Judicial Training (Albuquerque)
- Programs Open to Immigrant Victims and All Immigrants Without Regard to Immigration Status
- Anti-Discrimination Provisions that Apply to Programs Receiving Federal Funding Serving Victims of Violence against Women Crimes
- Chapter 16.1 Appendix: HHS Funded Programs Open to All Immigrants
- Chapter 16: Access To Programs And Services That Can Help Victims of Sexual Assault
- Chapter 04.1: Access to Programs and Services that Can Help Battered Immigrants
- Chapter 04.2: Public Benefits Access for Battered Immigrant Women and Children
- Chapter 4.3 Barriers to Accessing Services: The Importance of Advocates Accompanying Battered Immigrants Applying for Public Benefits
CARES Act and COVID-19 Related Resources Accessible to Immigrant Victims
- Immigrant Crime Victim Access to Relief during the COVID-19 Crisis under the CARES and FFCRA Acts (May 20, 2020)
- Healthcare Available to Immigrant Crime Victims During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Resources to Support Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition: Frequently Asked Question: Eligibility for Assistance Based on Immigration Status (May 5, 2020)
- Safe Housing Partnerships: Federal Safe Housing Funding Resources – CARES Act (April 22, 2020)
- Safe Housing for Immigrant Survivors: Legal Resources
- Tenant Rights of Domestic Violence Survivors During COVID – 19 (National Housing Law Project)
Public Charge and Immigrant Victim
- The Impact of the 2020 Public Charge Rule on Transitional Housing (July 9, 2020)
- Post-VAWA 2013: Immigrant Crime Victims and Public Charge
- Privacy Protections for Immigrant Applying for Public Benefits
Non-Work Social Security Numbers
- Obtaining Non-work Social Security Numbers Needed by VAWA Self-Petitioners to Maintain Public and Assisted Housing
- Request That SSA Issue A Non-Work SSN to a Benefits Eligible Immigrant (June 2014 – Washington State Sample)
- Social Security Administration Program Operations Manual System (POMS) (July 2017)
- Triagency Letter: Citizenship Immigration Status and Social Security Numbers
- Evidence Checklists for Work with Immigrant Survivors – Includes Benefits and Non-Work Social Security Numbers
- Obtaining Non-Work Social Security Numbers
Child Care
- Immigrant Crime Victim Child Care Access Chart
- Head Start Programs Memo
- Clarification of Interpretation of “Federal Public Benefit” regarding Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Services
Driver’s Licenses
Education
- National Findings on University and College Responses to Foreign-Born Student Victims
- Foreign Born Student Victims of Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, and Sexual Harassment: Special Needs of “M” Visa Holders
- Foreign Born Student Victims of Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, and Sexual Harassment: Special Needs of “J” Visa Holders
- Foreign Born Student Victims of Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, and Sexual Harassment: Special Needs of “F” Visa Holders
- Student Aid Eligibility – Title IV Aid for “Battered Immigrants-Qualified Aliens” as provided for in VAWA
- Federal Student Aid Handbook – Immigration Status Eligible Students
- Chapter 13: When Foreign Students or Their Family Members Are Sexually Assaulted: Immigration Implications of the Student and Exchange Visitor System
Health Care
- Healthcare Access for Immigrants who are NOT Eligible to Access the Healthcare Exchanges
- Immigrants’ Access to Programs and Services Necessary to Protect Life and Safety and Post-Assault Health Care
- Pre-Natal Care for Immigrant Victims – All States
- Post Assault Healthcare and Crime Victim Compensation for Immigrant Victims and Children– All States
- Emergency Medicaid for Immigrant Victims – All States
- Coverage for Forensic Costs for Immigrant Victims – All States
- Chapter 17: Access to Health Care for Immigrant Victims of Sexual Assault
- Domestic Violence Factsheet: HHS
Housing – Shelter and Transitional Housing
- Joint Agency Letter On Shelters and Transitional Housing (Web Page August 12, 2016)
- Webinar-Immigrant Crime Victim Access to Federally Assisted Housing (February 22, 2017)
- HUD-HHS-DOJ Letter Regarding Immigrant Access to Housing and Services
- HUD, SNAPS, The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 and HUD’s Homeless Assistance Programs (Aug. 16, 2016)
- NIWAP, Brochure for Transitional Housing
- NIWAP, Fact Sheet: Immigrant Access to Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing (Oct.23, 2016)
Housing – Public and Assisted
- Access to Public and Assisted Housing VAWA Self-Petitioners –Webpage (January 26, 2017)
- HUD, Memo for Secretary Julian Castro from Tonya Robinson, Acting General Counsel re: Eligibility of Battered Noncitizen Self-Petitioners for Financial Assistance Under Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 (Dec. 15, 2016)
- HUD, Notice PIH 2017-02 (HA), Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Self-Petitioner Verification Procedures (Jan. 19, 2017)
- NHLP, Memo: HUD Housing Covered by Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act
- NHLP, Chart on Federally Assisted Housing and Immigrant Eligibility (Jan. 2018)
- NIWAP, How to Advocate for Public and Assisted Housing for Your Battered Immigrant or Trafficking Survivor Client (Feb. 8, 2017)
- NIWAP & Legal Momentum, HUD Programs and Immigrant Eligibility, Chapter 16.2 (Feb. 8, 2017)
Legal Services Corporation Funded Assistance for Immigrant Victims
- Legal Services Access for All: Implementing the Violence Against Women Act of 2005
- Access to Publicly Funded Legal Services for Immigrant Survivors
- Legal Services Corporation Immigrant Representation Regulations 45 C.F. R. 1626, April 18, 2014
- Legal Services Corporation Program Letter 14-3
- Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Funded Legal Services Newsletter (June 2016)
- Permissibility of Providing Legal Services to Noncitizen Parents and Noncitizen Guardians of Children Seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
- Webinar: “And Legal Services For All: New 2014 Legal Services Corporation Regulations Implementing VAWA 2005’s Immigrant Crime Survivors’ Access To Legal Services” (October 30, 2014)
Low-Income Home Energy and Weatherization Assistance Programs
SNAP – Food Stamps
TANF
- Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants
- Domestic Violence Factsheet: HHS
- State-funded TANF Replacement Programs
- Eligibility for State Funded TANF Replacement Programs for Immigrant Crime Victims
E-Learning Resources on Working With Immigrant Survivors
- April 22, 2020: “VAWA Self-Petition: Protections for Immigrant Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Assault Perpetrated by Citizen and Lawful Permanent Resident Family Members” (Webinar)
- Pro Bono Institute “Violence Against Women Act” Online Training Module
- March 19, 2014: “Trauma-Informed Care, Part 2: The Nuts and Bolts of Immigration Story Writing Intervention” (Webinar)
- October 31, 2017: “VAWA Confidentiality and Protections for Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence” (Webinar)
- February 22, 2017: Immigrant Access to Federally Assisted Housing (Webinar and Materials)
- Public Benefits and Services Legally Available to Immigrant Children and Victims – What Courts Need to Know?
- Healthcare: Understanding the Affordable Care Act and How it Affects Immigrant Survivors
- Yes We Can!: Public Benefits for Immigrant Survivors