TAKE ACTION

support the 2023 wise act

October 2023 — The Working for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment (WISE) Act, H.R. 5145, will safeguard and improve existing protections for immigrant survivors to help them achieve safety and justice. The WISE Act represents a step forward toward the safety and well-being of our communities by ensuring all survivors are able to access the protections intended by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA).

Sponsored by U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), and Cori Bush (MO-01), the WISE Act aims to safeguard and improve existing protections for immigrant survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and gender-based violence. Survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking must be able to come forward without facing fear of detention or deportation.

Your advocacy is key to creating critical advances for immigrant survivors of violence.

Find out more and use our 2023 WISE Act Toolkit to take action to support WISE and forward it to colleagues in your network who might not be as engaged on these issues and make a personal request for them to join us.

For more information, see our WISE Act resources:

WISE One-pager (webpage): https://www.immigrantsurvivors.org/wise-act-2023-onepager
WISE One-pager (PDF): https://bit.ly/WISE-2023-onepager
WISE Intro Video: bit.ly/Support-WISE-Act
AIS WISE Virtual Briefing: https://youtu.be/XfkPKgEjHq4
House Bill 5145 (full text): https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5145

Protect the health and safety of immigrant survivors by rejecting Congressional efforts to undo the 2022 Public Charge Rule

June 2023 — On May 17, 2023, the U.S. Senate advanced S.J. Res. 18, a measure under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the 2022 public charge rule with a vote of 50-47. The outcome of the Senate’s vote is disheartening to immigrant communities, advocates, survivors of gender-based violence, and allies.

We’re asking you to take action telling your Members of Congress to protect immigrant survivors by voting NO on the CRA! See below for recent background on the public charge rule and how you can take action, including suggested talking points.

Recent Background on Public Charge

Advocates that work with survivors of gender-based violence applauded the 2022 public charge rule, as it provided much-needed clarity about what public charge means, who is exempt from its coverage, and how it is implemented, allowing survivors to work with victim advocates to plan for survivors’ safety and recovery from harm. The 2022 rule also replaced a 2019 policy that put green card applications at risk if lawfully-present immigrants used public benefits programs that, in the past, were not considered in a public charge decision.

Undoing the 2022 public charge rule will cause harm to many survivors. Moreover, misinformation and fear persist in immigrant communities, resulting in many immigrant survivors declining to access vital non-cash benefits programs or other assistance because of fear that it would harm their future green card status, immigration status, or enforcement.

Furthermore, the 2019 rule created a “chilling effect” right at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, where many rightful beneficiaries, including immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, avoided seeking critical life-saving and healing programs, such as emergency domestic violence shelter, transitional housing, food pantry assistance, sexual assault exams, and counseling services out of fear of deportation, detention, or family separation. To learn more about the chilling impact the 2019 rule had on survivors of gender-based violence, see Esperanza United’s fact sheet and additional AIS public charge resources.

All survivors deserve access to safety, and shouldn’t be discouraged from accessing emergency shelter, safe housing, health care, food, or other basic needs out of fear that doing so may harm their immigration status. Undermining the 2022 public charge rule creates more uncertainty and will make it more difficult for survivors to recover from and escape abuse. Every minute survivors are denied access to services increases their risk of further violence and trauma.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

First, contact your representative and urge the U.S. House to vote NO on the public charge CRA!

Here are some talking points to use when contacting your Member of Congress:

As your constituent, I urge you to support the safety and well-being of immigrant survivors and reject Senate Joint Resolution 18, which would overturn the 2022 public charge rule.
Passing S.J. Res. 18 will lead to confusion and fear among immigrant communities, advocates, survivors of gender-based violence, and allies.
In the past, the confusion surrounding public charge discouraged immigrant survivors from seeking the assistance they needed to escape and recover from abuse, like housing or health care, and other non-cash benefits, due to concerns that it would harm their ability to get a green card.
The ever-changing nature of public charge rules has created uncertainty, leaving immigrant survivors unsure about their eligibility and access to Medicaid, SNAP, and other public programs.
Survivor advocates and allies need clear, consistent guidelines because it has become increasingly difficult for them to help victims plan for their safety, and to educate immigrant survivors on their rights and available resources.

Then, tell President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris that you expect the Administration to veto this legislation if it makes it to the President’s desk.

Read the text of the CRA resolution. For additional information on how to protect immigrant families, please see PIF’s public charge resource page and find out more about the chilling impact of the 2019 public charge rule in Esperanza United’s fact sheet.

ASYLUM BAN: Sign our letter to protect the critical right to asylum for immigrant survivors

Update: On March 27, 2023, we sent a letter to the Biden Administration signed by 96 organizations, urging him to reverse course on this rule and instead fulfill his promises to immigrant survivors. We also demand that he work to create a fair and humane asylum system instead of doubling down on harmful, failed deterrence policies that place immigrant survivors at increased risk of danger.

March 2023 — On February 23, 2023, the Biden Administration issued a proposed rule that would drastically limit eligibility for asylum for many people seeking safety at our Southern border. This “Asylum Ban” cuts off a critical path to safety for immigrant survivors and the practical effect of the proposed rule will be to slam our doors shut on the most vulnerable people fleeing unspeakable human rights abuses

We are urgently seeking solidarity from organizations across our movements and hope you will sign on to our joint letter to President Biden urging him to reverse course on this dangerous and racist policy proposal and instead keep his promises to restore a humane asylum system.

Beyond the misalignment with this administration’s espoused values and commitments made to end violence against women and to improve access to justice for immigrant survivors and under served communities, this proposed rule violates U.S. law and international treaty obligations and is likely to be found unlawful just as the previous administration’s attempts at similar transit and entry bans were repeatedly struck down by federal courts.

We continue to demand that the Biden Administration reverse course on this rule and instead fulfill their promises to women and others vulnerable to gender-based violence – inclusive of immigrant survivors - and work to create a fair and humane asylum system instead of doubling down on harmful, failed deterrence policies that place immigrant survivors at increased risk of danger.

You can do more!

While our sign on letter is for organizations only, individuals can use this helpful Immigration Justice Campaign template to submit a comment by March 27 telling the administration how this policy will hurt asylum seekers. We strongly encourage organizations and individuals to submit comments on the proposed asylum ban, which would deny refugees asylum, ban many asylum seekers at the border from asylum hearings, fuel family separation, and deprive refugees of a pathway to citizenship. To help draft your organizational comments, see this helpful template created by HRF, NIJC, Tahirih, CGRS, and ACLU.

DHS Fee Rule: Sign our organizational letter to support safety and opportunity for immigrant survivors

Update: On March 9, 2023, we submitted comments on behalf of 56 organizations that serve survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, that aim to address the positive and negative impacts that a proposed USCIS fee rule will have on immigrant survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

February 2023 — On January 4, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) posted a proposed rule that, if implemented, would increase many of the filing fees that immigrants pay for various benefits, visas, and services.

The potential positive and negative impacts that the proposed fee rule would have on immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and gender-based abuses are clear. We outlined those concerns in a letter we plan on sending to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and are asking your organization to join others in signing the letter and showing the strength of our collective voice.

On the plus side, we applaud USCIS for exempting victims from paying fees for certain survivor-specific forms of immigration status. This will benefit both USCIS and survivors by reducing the administrative burden of adjudicating many requests for fee waivers and reducing critical waiting time for applications to be adjudicated.

We also appreciate the continued availability of fee waivers for other survivors seeking adjustment of status. However, we highly recommend that USCIS exempt filing fees for all survivor-based categories in order to reduce confusion and the financial barriers that survivors face.

Our letter also highlights concerns about the size of increases in filing fees across the board, and the impacts these changes will have on the many victims and their families. Examples include cases where victims are ineligible for survivor-specific forms of status, another path of immigration status is preferable, or cases where victims sponsor their family members. Higher costs combined with significant application processing delays will detrimentally impact these survivors.

TAKE ACTION: CALL ON YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TO PRIORITIZE ais top 5 ASKS!

Read about our Top 5 Asks here!

Share On Social Media!

Feel free to use sample tweets (below), graphic (left) and link the AIS’ action alert online: immigrantsurvivors.org/fall-2021-ais-top-5-asks

.[Tag your Representative], as your [constituent/supporter], I strongly urge you to protect #ImmigrantSurvivors so that everyone has the opportunity to seek safety and relief by lifting the annual cap of U visas to meet the need. @4ImmSurvivors

The U visa program was created so that #ImmigrantSurvivors do not have to choose between living with abuse and risking deportation or separation from their families. Congress MUST now raise the annual cap of U visas to meet the need. @4ImmSurvivors

The delays in processing VAWA self-petitions, U visa and T visa applications put #ImmigrantSurvivors at risk. We agree @4immsurvivors, Congress must now address the backlog and grant immigrant survivors timely employment authorization. #VAWA4ALL

For #ImmigrantSurvivors, timely work authorization means access to housing, education, and healthcare. It is now on Congress to fund USCIS to provide #ImmigrantSurvivors an essential pathway to services for themselves and their families. @4ImmSurvivors

Pathways to safety are only truly accessible to #ImmigrantSurvivors if they include explicit immigrant protections. We must end detention and deportation of immigrant survivors applying for VAWA self-petitions, U or T visas. @4ImmSurvivors

Right now, many #ImmigrantSurvivors are denied protection from persecution because the law does not clearly state that they qualify. We must explicitly include survivors of gender-based violence in asylum law. @4ImmSurvivors

Economic resources allow #ImmigrantSurvivors to seek safety and stability. We need a permanent and inclusive expansion of the Child Tax Credit and to lift the five-year bar on access to public benefits like Medicaid for immigrant communities. @4ImmSurvivors

Call Your Representative! Sample scripts below:

My name is [Name] and as [your constituent/ a supporter of immigrant survivors], I urge you to prioritize pathways to safety for immigrant survivors by lifting the U visa cap and ensuring that USCIS has the funding it needs to reduce processing times for immigration applications for survivors. These backlogs make it all the more necessary to have protection against deportations and increased economic support for survivors like the expansion of the Child Tax Credit, so that they have access to greater safety and stability. I also call on [Representative/Senator] to increase asylum protection for survivors by naming gender-based persecution as a reason for protection. [Include any more details from the asks outlined here!].

My name is [Name] and I work for [organization.] We are part of the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors, a national network of advocates and allies dedicated to defending and advocating for policies for immigrant survivors of violence. We join AIS in calling for five key asks to protect immigrant survivors seeking safety. [Discuss the five asks or choose one or two that resonate with you, your organization, or your constituents. Feel free to include details from the asks outlined here and incorporate stories when you can!]

Sign On To AIS’ Letter To DOS On Public Charge!

As you know, the last administration’s racist, harmful changes to the public charge rule instilled a culture of fear that prevented many immigrant communities from accessing essential economic and healthcare benefits. Thanks to the new Administration and the tireless work of countless advocates, the rule is no longer in effect.

On November 17, 2021, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) published a notice in the Federal Register that it is seeking comments on whether the DOS 2019 interim final rule (IFR) that adopted the DHS 2019 public charge rule should be rescinded or revised.

Our comment letter urges DOS to publish a final public charge rule that addresses the needs of survivors of domestic and sexual violence and supports their ability to obtain and maintain safety and well-being.

We urge DOS to remove the text of the 2019 DOS rule from the C.F.R. as soon as possible because the chilling effect of the public charge policy continues and the current DOS policy landscape confuses immigrant families, as well as discourages immigrant survivors from seeking critical services. We also urge DOS to issue a rule restoring the longstanding regulatory text that appeared prior to the 2019 rule, strengthened with language that promotes policies that support survivors in overcoming and escaping abuse.

We hope you’ll join us in taking action to protect immigrant survivors by signing on to our letter by January 14, 2022!

TAKE ACTION: SUBMIT COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A STRONGER DACA POLICY!

Recently, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced their Notice of Public Rulemaking (NPRM) on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, as directed by the Biden Administration. The DACA program, originally created in 2012, provides protection against deportation for certain noncitizens who had come to the United States as children years earlier, meet other criteria, and aren’t disqualified for public safety or security reasons. Since DACA was created, more than 825,000 people have applied successfully for deferred action under this policy. AIS supports USCIS’ intent to preserve DACA through this rulemaking, and we encourage you to submit comments to help strengthen protections for immigrant communities.

Comments are due by Monday, November 29. Our allies have helpful resources to help you draft and submit your comments, including United We Dream’s comment tool, NIJC’s template click-to-comment tool which is especially useful for pro bono and legal service providers, the Presidents’ Alliance comment guide for comments focused on a higher-ed lens, and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center's template comment which highlights the harmful criminal bars to DACA.

We encourage you to build on the material from the comment tools above, and also highlight the impacts of the DACA rule on immigrant survivors in your comments:

For immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other gender-based violence, relief from deportation through DACA is critical to finding pathways to safety and security. Abusers and other harm-doers often exploit the lack of secure immigration status, making those without protection from deportation more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. No one should fear seeking help to escape or recover from violence for themselves and their families due to fear of deportation.

Access to timely work authorization increases a survivor’s economic independence and helps them to both recover from abuse and leave abusive or exploitative relationships, workplaces, and other situations. Work authorization for DACA recipients is critical to ensuring they can work, live, and support their families, along with reducing their vulnerability to domestic violence, sexual assault, and other exploitation.

The proposed rule further precludes individuals from eligibility on the basis of any felony, multiple misdemeanors, or any single misdemeanor if it falls within a list of offenses. These exclusions harm those immigrant survivors who are particularly vulnerable to being arrested and prosecuted for domestic violence and trafficking related offenses, or coerced by their abusers. Language and cultural barriers may prevent survivors from explaining they acted in self-defense or that an abuser’s allegations are false, or vulnerability to human traffickers, and many survivors have criminal histories related to the harm they have experienced. No survivor should be denied legal status because of the trauma they have faced in a violent and harmful situation.

DACA is a critical program offering opportunities for millions of immigrant youth who are essential to the fabric of our communities. The Biden Administration must take this opportunity to make this program stronger and more inclusive to ensure all survivors are protected.

We hope you will join us in submitting comments by Monday, November 29.

TAKE ACTION: Tell the administration to strengthen, not reduce, asylum protections BY OCTOBER 19

AIS remains steadfast in protecting the legal right of asylum. The last administration instigated a multi-pronged attack on asylum law and process – and we fought back. The Biden administration has promised to move strides toward a more humane and functional asylum system, though it has continued inhumane and discriminatory practices while proposing regulatory solutions that are mixed.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) posted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that, if adopted, would reshape the process for individuals seeking asylum in the U.S. While the proposed rule would have some positive impacts on immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, some aspects of the proposed rule continue to cause harm. For example, the proposal would lead to many asylum seekers being rushed through a “streamlined” system where they do not receive a full hearing on their claims and where their due process rights are greatly reduced.

We encourage you to join us in drafting and submitting comments that help shape a more just and accessible asylum system. Comments are due by Tuesday, October 19.

The Tahirih Justice Center created an outline with their analysis of the rule focused on advocates for immigrant survivors that you are invited to use to create a comment that reflects your organization’s specific mission and experience. Please contact richardc@tahirih.org or rachels@tahirih.org for assistance.

Our allies at CLINIC have created a comment template to help immigration services organizations draft a comment in response to the rule that would dramatically alter procedures for asylum seekers who are subject to expedited removal and go through the credible fear process.

To learn more about creating a clearer pathway to asylum for survivors of gender-based violence, see Tahirih’s recent report, Ensuring Equal and Enduring Access to Asylum, that takes an in-depth look at the proposal to add gender as a sixth ground of asylum in the U.S. The report explains how naming gender in the asylum statute will help level the playing field for women and girls, particularly those without counsel; lessen re-traumatization and systemic inefficiencies; and best shield gender-based asylum from attack by a future administration.

TAKE ACTION: SIGN ON TO AIS’ LETTER FOR PUBLIC CHARGE BY OCTOBER 20!

Sign on to our letter by Wednesday, October 20!

Recently, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on public charge in the Federal Register, the Administration’s first step to issuing final regulations. After DHS reviews the responses to the ANPRM, we can expect a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), proposing specific changes to public charge policy and again offering an opportunity to comment. The last step would be publication of a Final Rule, incorporating stakeholder comments and hopefully cementing a more responsible regulatory policy on public charge. Keep in mind, until a final rule is issued, DHS will continue to follow the public charge policy in the 1999 Field Guidance. Because we hope that USCIS will move quickly to the next step in the regulatory process, i.e., issuing the NPRM to request comments on specific rule language, we’ve developed a sign-on letter.

We hope you’ll join us in taking action by signing on to our letter to protect immigrant survivors by Wednesday, October 20, 2021.

You can also use the Protecting Immigrant Families social media “tweetkit,” a resource to help partners recognize this important step toward a less harmful public charge policy and encourage the administration to move quickly.

You can always visit AIS’ page on public charge for ongoing updates and resources.

JUNE 2021 - Take Action: Tell Congress to Support #ImmigrantSurvivors during House Appropriations Committee Hearing on June 30!

Social Media Toolkit: Tell Congress to Protect Immigrant Survivors Through Appropriations!

The Alliance for Immigrant Survivors (AIS) has prepared this Social Media Toolkit to urge Congress to protect and provide support to immigrant survivors. The Congressional appropriations process provides another opportunity to center immigrant survivors by advocating for federal spending programs that support them. On June 30, the House Appropriations Committee will host a hearing. Stand with immigrant survivors of violence by joining AIS to lift up and prioritize the following asks during the appropriations hearing:

Lift the cap on the number of U visas annually available – currently limited to 10,000 – to meet the need.
Fund USCIS to ensure they can grant timely employment authorization to help VAWA self-petitioners, U visa, T visa and SIJS applicants survive during lengthy delays in their applications during which they face additional risk of violence, exploitation, manipulation, and trauma. This is aligned with USCIS’ recent policy update.

On and before June 30, join us on social media to let Your Member of Congress and your supporters know about these critical protections. On Twitter, please tag us at @4ImmSurvivors, use the hashtag #ImmigrantSurvivors, and include the graphic below. Feel free to use any of these sample tweets and edit, localize, and/or tag your Member of Congress!

Sample Tweets

.[Tag your Representative], as your [constituent/supporter], I strongly urge you to protect #ImmigrantSurvivors by lifting the annual cap of U visas. @4ImmSurvivors

The U visa program was created so that #ImmigrantSurvivors do not have to choose between living with abuse and risking deportation or separation from their families. Congress MUST now raise the annual cap of U visas to meet the need. @4ImmSurvivors

Timely work authorization allows #ImmigrantSurvivors to access safety. We’re encouraged by USCIS’ new policy on granting timely work permits to U visa applicants -- now it’s up to Congress to appropriate funds to USCIS to make it a reality. @4ImmSurvivors

The delays in processing VAWA self-petitions, U visa and T visa applications put #ImmigrantSurvivors at risk. We agree @4immsurvivors, Congress must now appropriate funds to address the backlog and grant immigrant survivors timely employment authorization. #VAWA4ALL

For #ImmigrantSurvivors, timely work authorization means access to housing, education, and healthcare. It is now on Congress to adequately fund USCIS to provide immigrant survivors an essential pathway to services for themselves and their families. @4ImmSurvivors

JUNE 2021 - call on congress to PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THE U VISA PROGRAM

This week, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a new policy alert announcing work authorization for U visa petitioners who present a bona fide case. The Alliance for Immigrant Survivors applauds this momentous step forward and action on one of our longstanding asks. Now, we are focusing our efforts on ensuring that USCIS is equipped to implement this policy.

Take Action! Call Your Members of Congress to tell them to provide additional resources for the U visa program to make this policy work for survivors!

Let your Congressmember and Senators know that it is imperative that USCIS receive the proper funding and capacity to actually implement these policies and ensure immigrant survivors timely access to work authorization.

Call the Capitol Switchboard Number at (202) 224-3121; Find your Representative’s information here; your Senator’s here.

Sample Script: Hi! My name is name and I am a resident of [city, state] and I am a voter in Representative/Senator’s [Name]’s district. I’m calling because I care deeply about immigrant survivors of violence and their ability to work to support themselves and their families. In the upcoming Congressional appropriations process, I strongly urge you to appropriate funds to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the DHS Appropriations bill to at least double the number of U visa adjudicators. USCIS needs resources to address the egregious backlog of U visa applications and grant applicants timely work authorization.
Mark your Calendar: On June 30th, the House Appropriations Subcommittee will be hosting a hearing, which you can view here.

Take Action! Engage on Social Media!

On Twitter, please tag us @4ImmSurvivors, use the hashtag #ImmigrantSurvivors, and feel free to include the graphic below. You can also tag your Representative’s twitter handle.

Sample Tweets:

Timely work authorization allows #ImmigrantSurvivors to access safety. We’re encouraged by USCIS’ new policy on granting timely work permits to U visa applicants -- now it’s up to Congress to appropriate funds to USCIS to make it a reality. http://bit.ly/AIS-USCIS-Take-Action @4ImmSurvivors

The delays in processing VAWA self-petitions, U visa and T visa applications put #ImmigrantSurvivors at risk. We agree @4immsurvivors, Congress must now appropriate funds to address the backlog and grant #ImmigrantSurvivors timely employment authorization. http://bit.ly/AIS-USCIS-Take-Action

For #ImmigrantSurvivors, timely work authorization means access to housing, education, and healthcare. It is now on Congress to fund USCIS to provide #ImmigrantSurvivors an essential pathway to services for themselves and their families. http://bit.ly/AIS-USCIS-Take-Action @4ImmSurvivors

Find out more background and read stories of women and families impacted by delays in work authorization.

may 2021 - Reducing Barriers to Immigration Benefits and Services

In response to USCIS’s request for public input on identifying barriers to immigration benefits and services, the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors (AIS) has coordinated a collective response from the field and we invite you to sign on to our joint comment. To develop our reply, we reached out to policy experts, advocates, and service providers across the country and hosted a virtual listening session to elicit ideas and input.

As a result, we got plenty of suggestions to work with. We heard about barriers to customer service and adjudication, outdated regulations, egregious processing times, overly-complicated forms, erroneous rejections, the need for trauma-informed training, and much more. We also heard encouraging stories about when USCIS representatives worked well with advocates and will be sharing the positives as well.

If you’re interested in joining with us to help reduce barriers that impede access to immigration benefits and services, see our comment and add your organization’s endorsement. The deadline for submitting comments to USCIS is midnight on May 19. Please add your organization's endorsement before 12pm noon on May 19.

If you prefer to submit your own comment, our allies have created template comments that you can customize and submit as you’d like, including:

April 2021- tell the senate to strengthen protections for immigrant survivors in vawa 2021

AIS supports the latest bipartisan VAWA reauthorization, H.R. 1620, which takes a holistic approach, addressing the complex realities of survivors’ lives, and maintains established protections, while also addressing persistent gaps. Yet, VAWA 2021 doesn’t solve the problems facing tens of thousands of immigrant survivors who have faced additional threats and barriers over the last several years.

This latest reauthorization of VAWA is already three years behind schedule, as the last reauthorization was in 2013. Failure to strengthen immigration protections created in VAWA and subsequent reauthorizations has resulted in substantial barriers for immigrant survivors and their children. The time to strengthen these immigration protections is right now, and VAWA is the right vehicle to do it.

Join us and endorse this organizational sign on letter calling on the Senate to protect and strengthen protections for immigrant survivors in this next reauthorization of VAWA. Please sign on no later than Friday, April 30 by 12pm ET. For any questions, please contact Cecelia Levin at ASISTA, cecelia@asistahelp.org.

DECEMBER 2020 - Protect Paths To Safety For Immigrant Survivors (Oppose EOIR Rules)

On November 27, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced two proposed rules that would threaten the safety of survivors – including immigrant survivors – of domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking, and other gender-based abuses by drastically limiting their ability to seek continuances in Immigration Court, and to reopen prior removal orders.

VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION TODAY! These EOIR rules are currently proposals and not yet in effect, and the public has until 11:59 pm EDT on December 28, 2020 to submit comments. Join with AIS to lift your voice and reveal the harmful impact this proposed rule will have on survivors of gender-based violence. You can use the following resources below to help draft your comment:

AIS Templates on (drafted by Tahirih Justice Center)

CLINIC Template Comments on

American Immigration Lawyers Association Templates on

October 2020 - Preserve Asylum Protection for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence

On September 23, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced yet another proposed rule that would undermine asylum protections in the U.S. The proposed rule would make it significantly harder for traumatized immigrants who flee from persecution in their home countries, including survivors of gender-based violence, to seek asylum protection in the U.S.

VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION TODAY! The DOJ rule is currently a proposal and not yet in effect, and the public has until 11:59 pm EDT on Friday, October 23rd to submit comments. Submit a comment on how the proposed rule will harm survivors of gender-based violence. Here’s how!

oCTOBER 2020 - Protect THE SAFETY & PRIVACY OF SURVIVORS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

On September 11, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a proposed rule that would, among other things, expand the collection of sensitive biometric information, which would be stored in an online database that would be accessible by a wide range of people and is at risk of being compromised. This poses significant privacy, confidentiality and safety implications for survivors, including immigrant survivors, of domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking, stalking, and other gender-based abuses.

VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION TODAY! The DHS rule is currently a proposal and not yet in effect, and the public has until 11:59 pm EDT on October 13 to submit feedback. Share a comment about how the proposed rule will harm survivors of gender-based violence. Here’s how.

September 2020 - Protect Fairness for the Ability for Survivors to Access Safety

For survivors of gender-based violence, qualifying for immigration relief is not enough to ensure protection from deportation. Rather, legal remedies for survivors of violence, such as the U visa, T visa, and VAWA Self-Petitions are only as effective as the process survivors must navigate when they apply.

Under a proposed new rule issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on August 26, 2020, individuals in immigration proceedings, including survivors of gender-based violence, will face harsh new procedural restrictions. These restrictions will unfairly speed up appeals procedures at the expense of due process, leading to increased, swift denials of survivors’ cases and appeals and punishing those without legal representation the hardest.

Share a comment about how the proposed rule will harm survivors of gender-based violence before midnight on September 25. Here’s how!

August 2020 - Tell Congress to do right by survivors in the next COVID-19 legislation!

Congressional leadership is negotiating NOW on the next COVID-19 relief bill. The Senate has introduced its version of a COVID-19 bill (HEALS). Once it passes the Senate, House and Senate leaders will need to reconcile the HEALS Act with the House COVID-19 bill (HEROES), which passed back in May with bipartisan support (see one-pager or detailed title-by-title summary). Congress will then vote on the final bill, which will likely be the last relief package we will see, at least for a long while.

Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and the advocates that serve them, NEED YOUR HELP! Congress has passed three bills so far, but none provide crucial targeted relief that would specifically benefit immigrant families, including immigrant survivors; dedicated funding for many hard-hit survivor-serving programs; or sufficient funding to truly meet survivors’ needs. This is especially alarming knowing that during this health and economic crisis there has been an increase in interpersonal violence!

There is still time to tell your Members of Congress that we cannot short change survivors a 4th time. See our resources and Take Action today!

JUNE 2020 - SAVE ASYLUM & PROTECT SURVIVORS OF GENDER-BASED PERSECUTION!

On June 15, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a proposed rule that would make sweeping and devastating changes to asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). Under international and U.S. law, asylum is meant to provide a pathway to safety for survivors of life-threatening persecution due to their identity, when their own governments cannot or will not protect them. The proposed changes would deny the vast majority of asylum-seekers - including survivors of gender-based violence - even the chance to make their case for protection, let alone to have a fair day in court.

The proposed asylum rule specifically bars from asylum protection those fleeing “gender-related” persecution, including women fleeing rape, severe domestic violence, human trafficking, and other horrific gender-based violence. It would also prevent survivors who are applying for asylum and are in “expedited removal” proceedings from being able to seek protection under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) or Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). These are just a few among many other deeply troubling policy shifts in the massive proposed rule.

You can speak out! Stakeholders and the public have until just July 15 to weigh in on the rule and push back, and we need your help! It is critical that DHS receive a groundswell of unique, substantive feedback about the devastating impacts of these proposed rules on survivors fleeing gender-based violence. Both organizations and individuals can submit comments, so please rally others in your personal and professional networks! Comments are due by 11:59 pm EDT on Wednesday, July 15. Submit your comment opposing the harmful proposal today!

MAY 2020 - TELL CONGRESS TO PASS COVID-19 LEGISLATION THAT PROTECTS AND SUPPORTS SURVIVORS!

On May 15, by a bipartisan vote of 208-199, the House passed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act - a $3 trillion-plus legislative package to provide relief and assistance to address the health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19.

There is still work ahead, however, to improve on the HEROES Act's assistance to survivors and the programs that serve them, and to fill in gaps in HEROES coverage. Although the HEROES Act included several provisions that support immigrants and survivors of violence, it did not include many other crucial provisions from the Coronavirus Immigrant Families Protection Act that would directly benefit immigrant survivors.

Please continue educating your Members of Congress - your Representatives (contact information here), and at this time, especially your Senators (contact information here) - on the importance of keeping intact and making improved provisions to protect and support immigrant survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in the next COVID-19 package. Educating legislators is the most important policy action you can take, both for this short-term and the long-haul!

Find a sample email/call script and talking points and take action TODAY!

Thank you for your advocacy!

april 2020 - Tell Congress to Address Needs of ALL Survivors in Next COVID Stimulus Package

Congress has started discussions on the next coronavirus aid package, and they need to hear from us now to ensure that survivors of domestic and sexual violence, including immigrant survivors, get the support they desperately need to weather this public health and economic crisis.

The first two stimulus bills were critical responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they did not specifically address the needs of survivors. In March, Congress passed the CARES Act which -- thanks to efforts and leadership from survivors, advocates, and Congressional champions -- includes two provisions to provide increased support for survivors of violence and the programs that serve them, as well as a number of other provisions that provide increased economic and health care assistance to many struggling in the face of this crisis. However, the legislation failed to address critical needs of many immigrant workers and families as well as the urgent need for increased resources to improve access to safety for survivors.

We believe that future COVID-19 aid packages must go further to meet the needs of ALL survivors of violence to ensure that they have access to crucial economic, health care, and housing supports and to bolster the capacity of domestic violence and sexual assault programs to serve them. Adapting resources and services to meet new operational challenges and to ensure that survivors can still access the help they need are critical at this time as all survivors are facing heightened risks and immigrant survivors are particularly vulnerable. At the same time as costs and challenges are increasing, programs are struggling with budget and staffing (including volunteer) shortfalls. A new Executive Order released by the Administration on Wednesday, while currently limited in time and scope, could lead to more barriers to safety and security for survivors and their families.

We must do better by survivors. If you agree, will you take action today to stand with immigrant survivors?

Please call or email your member of Congress and your Senators TODAY -- the Capitol Switchboard Number is 202-224-3121.

Suggested Call/Email Script: “Hello. My name is [your name], and I am your constituent calling from [your location and, if applicable, your program]. I appreciate what Congress has been doing to address the COVID pandemic, but COVID-19 disproportionately impacts victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and immigrant survivors are particularly vulnerable. I urge you to address their needs when you negotiate the next stimulus package. To help all survivors, please provide more funding for local programs that support them; ensure survivors have access to services, housing, and economic stability; and increase deposits into the Crime Victims Fund that supports many victim services. We’re counting on you to protect victims and survivors.”

See our AIS Social Media Toolkit for suggested posts to share on Twitter and Facebook and include any of these graphics. Please tag @4immsurvivors when possible.

For more details about what must be included in the next aid package, see a joint letter to Congress we signed along with 350 other local and national organizations. Last week we asked you to support the Coronavirus Immigrant Families Protection Act and this week we’re asking you to support critical funding that serves the needs of all survivors to help ensure access to safety. With your help, we can ensure that all survivors and communities have a pathway to safety and well-being. Thank you for your support!

april 2020 - Tell Congress to co-sponsor the Coronavirus Immigrant Families Protection Act

While recent stimulus efforts provide health care and economic support to assist individuals and companies impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, they leave out urgently needed resources and protections for immigrant communities, including immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and other forms of gender-based violence who are facing increased barriers to accessing assistance. To address their critical needs, Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Kamala Harris joined with Representatives Judy Chu, Raul Grijalva, and Lou Correa to introduce the Coronavirus Immigrant Families Protection Act (H.R. 6437).

TAKE ACTION! Contact your Senators (find contact information here) and Representatives (find contact information here) TODAY and urge them to co-sponsor the Coronavirus Immigrant Families Protection Act to make sure that everyone has access to the support they need to make it through this crisis.

Sample email/call script: "Hello. My name is [your name], and I am a constituent calling from [your location and, if applicable, your program]. I’m calling today to ask you to co-sponsor the Coronavirus Immigrant Families Protection Act. COVID-19 disproportionately impacts victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence, especially immigrant survivors. Please protect the health, safety, and economic security of all survivors of domestic and sexual violence by supporting H.R. 6437."

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CONTACT CONGRESS NOW?

Congress is currently on recess and Members and Senators are now in their district offices, but they will be reconvening as early as next Monday, April 20th. It is vital that we contact Congress now and tell them that we need to make economic and health care support available to everyone before they go back in session and begin negotiations on a fourth coronavirus aid package next week.

HOW WILL THE CORONAVIRUS IMMIGRANT FAMILIES PROTECTION ACT HELP SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE?

The bill will enhance survivor safety and support by:

preventing survivors with pending applications under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) or the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) from being detained or deported;
expanding emergency Medicaid coverage to broaden access to COVID-19 testing and treatment to all individuals, regardless of immigration status;
providing all taxpayers with access to economic supports and cash relief benefits;
improving language access efforts so that hard-to-reach populations, including immigrant communities, can learn crucial information about coronavirus preparedness, response, and recovery, as well as available health care and economic resources;
suspending immigration policies that deter immigrants from seeking the services they need and that harm survivors of gender-based violence, including
- prohibiting enforcement agencies from carrying out immigration enforcement in locations where people seek care, such as hospitals and health care centers,
- suspending recent changes to the stricter "public charge rule," and
- clarifying that accessing public benefits related to COVID-19 will not count against immigrants in future immigration applications; and
allowing immigrants to keep their immigration status and work authorization that expires during the COVID-19 pandemic by automatically extending it for the time it was initially granted.

Immigrant survivors of violence need your help to make sure that the next coronavirus aid stimulus bill meets their needs. Please contact Congress today! To learn more and find resources, see the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors COVID-19 Pandemic Resources Page for Survivors and Advocates.

may 2020 - Tell your Representative to support vital provisions that support survivors in the HEROES Act!

On May 12, 2020, the House introduced its latest COVID-19 aid package: the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or the HEROES Act, H.R. 6800 (see the full text, one-pager overview, or detailed title-by-title summary).

The HEROES Act includes a number of provisions that increase support for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and bolster the programs that serve them, and importantly includes critical provisions to help immigrants who were left out of earlier-enacted relief packages. The bill also provides essential protections to address housing and food insecurity that will help all those who are struggling, including survivors. The House is expected to vote on the HEROES Act this Friday, May 15.

TAKE ACTION: Contact your Representative (find contact information here) and urge them to support the important provisions in the HEROES Act that help all survivors, and to stand firm in preserving those provisions, especially provisions vital to immigrant survivors, as the HEROES Act moves forward in negotiations with the Senate.

Find out more about the HEROES Act and take action TODAY. Thank you for your support!

March 2020 - Tell Congress to Include Immigrant Survivors in Coronavirus Stimulus Package

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are currently negotiating around the CARES Act (S. 3548) - a massive $1.6 trillion-plus emergency economic and health care package to tackle the coronavirus (or COVID-19) crisis. But the bill excludes millions of immigrants - including survivors of domestic, sexual, and other forms of gender-based violence - from accessing COVID-19 testing and critical economic supports.

Here are two ways you can take action to urge your member of Congress and Senators to include important fixes in all COVID-19 legislative packages that ensure the health, safety, and financial security of immigrant survivors.

Call your member of Congress and your Senators TODAY. The Capitol Switchboard Number is 202.224.3121.
Contact your member of Congress and Senators by speaking up on social media.

See our action alert page where you will find a sample script and sample tweets for you to use that lifts up the important fixes we are asking congressional leaders to include in any COVID-19-related bill.

March 2020 -support the no ban Act and access to counsel act

On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives will be voting on the Access to Counsel Act (H.R. 5581), and the NO BAN Act (H.R. 2214), as amendments to the Future Act (H.R. 2486), scheduled for a floor vote tomorrow. These two critical pieces of legislation will help ensure that immigrants, including survivors of violence, are not banned from the United States based on religious or nationality-based discrimination and have increased access to counsel.

Call your member of Congress TODAY (Capitol Switchboard Number is 202.224.3121) and urge your Representative to support the NO BAN Act and Access to Counsel Act.

Learn more about the bills and how you can take action here.

January 2020 - Keep asylum accessible for immigrant survivors of violence

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released yet another proposed rule on asylum procedures and bars to asylum eligibility that will create seven new bars to asylum eligibility, authorize immigration adjudicators to determine whether a conviction or conduct triggers these bars to eligibility, and remove reconsideration of discretionary denials of asylum.

These proposed changes will unfairly prevent many immigrant survivors who have fled from horrific domestic, sexual, and other forms of gender-based violence to seek safety in the U.S. from obtaining the asylum protections they need and deserve.

Speak out against this harmful proposed asylum eligibility bar rule!

Submit a comment telling DOJ and DHS to rescind the proposed rule that would restrict many immigrant survivors of violence from accessing safety and protection. You have until January 21. Submit your comment today!

December 2019 - USCIS's Proposed Fee Rule Creates Barriers to Safety

The ability to gain immigration relief is a lifeline for many immigrant survivors of violence. It allows survivors to escape abuse and establish independence from perpetrators who often exploit a survivor's immigration status to exert control and intimidation. However, this pathway is inaccessible for many immigrant survivors who lack the money to pay the already steep application fees. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a proposed fee rule that will only serve to make safety even more expensive and unattainable for immigrant survivors of violence.

Speak out against this harmful proposed fee rule!

Submit a comment telling USCIS to withdraw the provisions in the rule that would exacerbate existing economic barriers and make it harder for immigrant survivors of domestic, sexual, and other gender-based abuses to access safety. You have until December 30. Submit your comment today!

october 2019 – Advocacy Toolkit: Tell Congress to Stand with Immigrant Survivors

October 7, 2019 - Recent changes in immigration policy are undermining the thoughtful protections that Congress established over the past 25 years with bipartisan support, sharpening the tools of abusers and increasing the risks of harm to victims of violence. For this reason, U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Jimmy Panetta introduced the Immigrant Witness and Victim Protection Act of 2019 (H.R. 4319) in September with the goal of safeguarding and improving existing protections for immigrant survivors in order to help them achieve safety and justice.

As this effort was introduced in the House of Representatives, it is time to ask your Representative to co-sponsor this important bill and protect immigrant communities and their access to safety and justice.

While your member of Congress is in-district during this fall recess, use our new Advocacy Toolkit to reach out and schedule a meeting, attend a Town Hall meeting, ask your member to support H.R. 4319, or spread the word on social media. Access our toolkit and help us share it on Twitter.

august 2019 – Advocacy Toolkit: Tell Congress to Stand with Immigrant Survivors

August 27, 2019: Seemingly every day, there is a new vicious assault on immigrant communities in our country. From the horrific tragedies in El Paso, Texas, and Gilroy, California to wide-spread raids in Mississippi at a company where immigrant workers had been previously threatened and sexually harassed. From an abusive partner telling a spouse that reaching out to help will lead to their deportation to DHS making it harder for victims of abuse to stay in the country while they apply for immigration protections.

It is time to tell our Members of Congress they must act to protect immigrant communities and their access to safety and justice.

ASISTA in conjunction with the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors created a toolkit for advocates who work with survivors of domestic and sexual violence. This toolkit can help advocates engage in local efforts to connect with their Members of Congress, while they are in District during August recess through September 8, to let them know that changes in immigration policies are harming immigrant survivors of crime, making them less likely to seek protection from abuse and seek immigration relief created for their benefit.

Your local advocacy is key to creating critical advancements for survivors of violence. Access our toolkit and help us share it on Twitter.

august 2019 – Speak out against harmful asylum ban

August 8, 2019: In yet another attack on immigrant survivors, the administration announced in July the most restrictive asylum ban yet, barring anyone who approaches our southern border from receiving asylum, with few exceptions. The sweeping measure slams our doors to individuals, families, and unaccompanied children who are seeking safety, including survivors of gender-based violence. The ban further erodes legal protections and deepens the climate of fear that makes victims and witnesses afraid to report abuse to law enforcement which impacts all of us.

Making our nation’s asylum system more difficult to access makes it harder for immigrant survivors to seek safety and keeps them in harm’s way.

AIS and our Co-Chair organizations are all filing comments opposing this dangerous attack on our legal asylum process and we invite you to do the same. Help us ensure that asylum protections are not stripped away from those leaving everything behind in search of safety. Submit a comment today telling the U.S. government that you oppose the new asylum ban. Make your voice heard by Thursday, August 15 at 11:59 PM ET.

June 2019 – Speak out against harmful proposed rule that will evict immigrant families!

June 20, 2019: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has published a proposed rule that would prohibit “mixed-status” families from receiving federal housing assistance, endangering immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other gender-based abuses. For many immigrant survivors, the ability to leave and recover from abuse depends on whether they can keep themselves and their families housed and safe.

By prohibiting survivors in mixed-status families from accessing housing assistance, the HUD proposed rule could lead to family separation, prevent survivors from leaving abusive relationships or compel them back into abusive relationships, and put traumatized survivors and their children at risk of homelessness.

AIS opposes any efforts to restrict vital public housing assistance for immigrant families, including survivors. No one should be subjected to homelessness or a violent home as their only options.

AIS and our partners have developed tips, sample comment templates, and resources to help you join us in speaking out against the proposed rule and its harmful impact on survivors of violence. You have until July 9 to raise your voice on behalf of survivors - submit your comment today!

APRIL 2019-Submit your comment opposing the USCIS Tip Form today!

The proposed USCIS tip form represents another tool for abusers and perpetrators of crime to weaponize the immigration system against survivors, without consequence or repercussion.

Take Action & Stop the Threat to Immigrant Survivors' Access to Safety
You still have until April 16 to submit a comment in opposition to the USCIS Tip Form. AIS partners and allies have developed resources to help you speak out against the proposed form.

Comprehensive fact sheet - Developed by ASISTA, ILRC, and the Arab American Institute to provide you with more information about the tip form.
Template comment - Use this template comment as a starting point for writing your own individualized comments.

march 2019 – ACTION ALERT: Tell Congress to support VAWA 2019!

March 28, 2019: Every five years, Congress has an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to ending sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking by reauthorizing and improving the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) based on emerging issues and needs voiced by survivors and the field. The Alliance for Immigrant Survivors (AIS) calls on Congress to pass a strong, bipartisan VAWA reauthorization that invests in increased evidence-informed prevention, enhances survivors’ access to safety and justice, and maintains critical protections for vulnerable communities.

On March 13, the House Judiciary Committee approved VAWA 2019 while blocking several harmful amendments that would have excluded certain survivors in our communities and weakened the bill. The bill now moves on to the full House which is expected to vote soon.

Now is your chance to speak up! Find out more and then tell Congress that it’s time to reauthorize VAWA. Together, we can create the strongest and most inclusive VAWA ever. Our communities are counting on us. Take action today!

january 2019 – call your senator to oppose bill that will harm survivors

January 23, 2019: This week, the U.S. Senate announced it will vote on two bills related to the government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced a vote on the End the Shutdown and Secure the Border Act. This legislation contains not only funding for a needless border wall, but also harmful attacks on immigrants that would keep safety out of reach for many survivors of violence, including children seeking asylum protections. The second vote will be a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government until February 8th to allow for federal employees affected by the shutdown to get paid and for affected programs to be funded as Congress works on longer term funding.

Tell Your SENATOR to Oppose Harmful Immigration Legislation. Here’s how!

december 2018 – Tell Congress to Reauthorize VAWA!

Amidst many pressing issues, the new Congress is preparing to reauthorize a Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) with critical improvements to strengthen initiatives to end domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, and to better address the needs of survivors. VAWA is vital to the safety of victims, survivors, and their communities; it cannot simply be checked off of Congress’ to-do list by changing the dates for existing funding, ignoring requests by countless survivors and direct service providers for Congress to do more.

Congress must act to reauthorize a strong, bipartisan VAWA that responds to the emerging issues and needs voiced by survivors and the field. Find out more, including helpful resources, and then tell Congress that it’s time to reauthorize VAWA and that we need to do it right!

NOVEMEBER 2018 - USCIS FEE WAIVERS

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is proposing to restrict the forms of evidence acceptable for survivors to demonstrate financial need and qualify for a fee waiver for survivor-based protections, including VAWA self-petitions, U and T visas, and SIJS applications. This proposal will serve as yet another barrier and make it harder for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other gender-based abuses to access safety and justice.

TAKE ACTION! Ensure that Survivors Have Access to Protections:
You can speak out! Organizations and individuals can submit public comments about the proposed revision to the I-912 fee waiver form, but you only have until Tuesday, November 27 to make your voice heard. Submit your comment opposing the harmful proposal today!

Advocates in our field have developed sample templates that you can personalize and modify to draft your unique comment expressing your concerns about the harmful proposal.

ASISTA has created a draft template comment that focuses on the impact of these proposed changes on immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) has created a fee waiver comment template that addresses a wide range of concerns with the fee waiver guidance and updated forms.
The Naturalization Working Group has created a comment, available here.

Fall 2018 – Public Charge: Raise Your Voice & Submit a Comment

The Alliance for Immigrant Survivors (AIS) is concerned how the harmful Public Charge proposal will impact immigrant communities, particularly immigrant survivors of gender-based violence and their families, including children, who use public assistance programs to escape and overcome abuse. AIS is supporting the Protecting Immigrant Families (PIF) campaign which has the infrastructure and capacity to respond to the rule change with collective force.

The extreme proposal would mark a significant and harmful departure from a longstanding policy in which the government has recognized that work supports like health care, nutrition, and housing assistance help families thrive and remain safe and productive. These essential programs that allow individuals to provide for basic needs will now count against the individual in deciding whether someone is likely to become a public charge. AIS is encouraging everyone concerned about this proposal to join tens of thousands of others and submit comments by December 10, 2018, before the proposal becomes final. Find out more and take action!

RECENT AIS WEBINARS

JUNE 2021 - NEW IMMIGRATION POLICY UPDATES AND THEIR IMPACT ON SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Wednesday, June 30 from 12 - 1 pm PST.

The Alliance for Immigrant Survivors (AIS) is hosting a webinar designed for advocates who wish to learn more about recent developments in immigration policy and what they mean for immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, including updates to the U visa program, new ICE policies on enforcement, DHS resources for victims as well as important asylum updates. Join us to learn about ways you can engage in advocacy efforts to enhance paths to safety and protection.

Presenters included three of our AIS Co-chairs:

Cecelia Friedman Levin, Policy Director, ASISTA
Grace Huang, Director of Policy, API-GBV
Richard Caldarone, Litigation Counsel, Tahirih Justice Center

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. This webinar will not be recorded.

March 2021 - Webinar: U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021

Through the years Congress, in a bipartisan manner, has supported the creation of immigration remedies to increase pathways to safety for survivors through VAWA and the TVPA. These last few weeks, Congress has introduced several measures that would increase protections for millions of immigrants, including survivors, and help to repair our broken immigration system.

AIS is hosting a webinar designed for advocates who wish to learn more about these new legislative efforts including the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 among others. Register today and join us to learn how these recent developments might affect survivors.

Our presenters include AIS Co-chairs:

Cecelia Friedman Levin, Policy Director at ASISTA
Archi Pyati, Chief of Policy and Communications at Tahirih Justice Center
Grace Huang, Director of Policy at API-GBV

FEBRUARY 2021 – Webinar: New Immigration Policy Updates & Their Impact On Survivors Of DVSA

The new administration begins what we hope is a new chapter, especially in regards to how we center immigrant survivors in our policies and communities. AIS is hosting a webinar designed for advocates who wish to learn more about how the new administration’s initial immigration policy developments address this chilling effect and may impact the communities we stand with and represent. We will include discussion about new executive orders and actions as well as pending legislation.

Register today and join us to learn how these recent developments might affect survivors and learn about ways you can engage in advocacy efforts to enhance paths to safety and protection.

Presenters include three AIS Co-chairs:

Cecelia Friedman Levin, Policy Director at ASISTA
Grace Huang, Director of Policy at API-GBV
Archi Pyati, Chief of Policy and Communications at Tahirih Justice Center