Join our network of advocates defending the rights of all survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and gender-based abuses for access to life-saving protections.

ais Statement: Survivors of Abuse Need Services and Safety Nets, Not Shutdowns and Scapegoating

The federal government shutdown threatens the life and safety of survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and other crimes all across the country.  

Domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking victims in every state rely on local programs including shelters, rape crisis centers, anti-trafficking programs, and child advocacy centers for lifesaving support. Without federal funding, staffing and critical services are at risk. Even a short funding delay could result in reduced services, layoffs, and eventually program closures.

Funding services and safety-net programs for survivors should not be the collateral damage of political gamesmanship.

ais Media Release: AIS Condemns ICE Actions at Chicago Courthouse

“This alarming enforcement action undermines both safety and justice for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence, raises serious due process concerns, and sends a chilling message to immigrant survivors across the nation,” said Cecelia Friedman Levin, AIS Advocacy Coordinator.

“Courthouses should be places of refuge and accountability and not sites of surveillance, fear, or immigration enforcement. Survivors seeking protection orders, pursuing safety, testifying as witnesses, or supporting family members should never be forced to weigh their need for safety against the risk of deportation. When ICE intrudes into these spaces, it re-traumatizes survivors, deters them from participating in the criminal justice system, and erodes the trust that is essential for courts and service providers to function effectively.”

ais STATEMENT: New conditions on funding for crime victims endanger immigrant survivors

A coalition of over 20 Attorneys General sued the Trump administration in an effort to block the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) from conditioning federal funding for crime victims on states’ cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. 

“These new grant conditions on Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding would compound an existing climate of fear – one that  silences victims and emboldens abusers,” said Cecelia Friedman Levin, AIS Advocacy Coordinator.

According to our recent national survey, 76% of advocates serving immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking reported that their clients are hesitant to contact the police, while over 70% shared concerns about going to court.”

ais SURVEY: Fear and Silence - 2025 Insights from Advocates for Immigrant Survivors

On June 18, 2025, AIS released the results of a nationwide survey of advocates and attorneys assessing how changes to federal immigration policies are impacting the help seeking behaviors of immigrant survivors, including their willingness to engage with law enforcement when they are a victim of a crime. What we heard was clear and alarming: immigrant survivors are more afraid than ever to seek help from the police or the courts. 

One of the stark findings reveals that 76 percent of advocates reported that immigrant survivors have concerns about contacting the police to report domestic violence and sexual assault. “Most of the immigrant survivors that I currently work with are fearful to leave their homes, drive, or be in public spaces as these are all ways that they could be picked up by ICE,” said one advocate in the survey.