Information released regarding the Dec. 5 police-involved shooting on Davis Ford Road in Woodbridge Read More
Information released regarding the Aug. 1 police-involved shooting on Bromley Court in Woodbridge Read More
Non-essential police dept. administrative offices will be CLOSED Mon., Jan. 20 for MLK Day.
Information released regarding the Dec. 5 police-involved shooting on Davis Ford Road in Woodbridge Read More
Information released regarding the Aug. 1 police-involved shooting on Bromley Court in Woodbridge Read More
Non-essential police dept. administrative offices will be CLOSED Mon., Jan. 20 for MLK Day.
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Nonimmigrant Status Visas
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) helps protect victims of human trafficking and other crimes by providing immigration relief to eligible victims. Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons, is a crime in which traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to compel individuals to provide labor or services, including commercial sex. Individuals and their families may also fall victim to many other types of serious criminal activity in the United States, including rape, kidnapping, stalking, manslaughter, domestic violence, and sexual assault, among others.
Noncitizen victims of human trafficking and qualifying criminal activity may not have immigration status in the United States and may be afraid to work with law enforcement. Traffickers and abusers often use a victim’s lack of immigration status to exploit and control them. In addition, language and cultural barriers may make it difficult for victims to seek help after experiencing victimization. Immigration relief provides a path for victims to stabilize their status in the United States and build a sense of safety and security. Immigration relief is also a critical tool to encourage victims to become active participants in the detection, investigation, or prosecution of a crime, which increases community safety as a whole.
Source: USCIS
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Types of Nonimmigrant Status Visas
Expand all- U Nonimmigrant Status (U-Visa)
The U nonimmigrant status (U visa) is set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. Congress created the U nonimmigrant visa with the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (including the Battered Immigrant Women’s Protection Act) in October 2000. The legislation was intended to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking of noncitizens and other crimes, while also protecting victims of crimes who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse due to the crime and are willing to help law enforcement authorities in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity. The legislation also helps law enforcement agencies to better serve victims of crimes.
To learn about updates to the program, visit the USCIS U Nonimmigrant Status Program Updates page.
Source: USCIS
- T Nonimmigrant Status (T-Visa)
T nonimmigrant status is a temporary immigration benefit. It enables certain victims of a severe form of trafficking in persons to remain in the United States for an initial period of up to 4 years if they complied with any reasonable request for assistance from law enforcement in the detection, investigation, or prosecution of human trafficking or qualify for an exemption or exception. T nonimmigrant status is also available to certain eligible family members of trafficking victims. T nonimmigrants are eligible for employment authorization and certain federal and state benefits and services. T nonimmigrants who qualify may also be able to adjust their status and become lawful permanent residents (get a Green Card).
Congress created this nonimmigrant status (commonly referred to as a T visa) in October 2000 as part of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act. Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons, is a crime in which traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to compel individuals to provide labor or services, including commercial sex. Traffickers often take advantage of vulnerable individuals, including those lacking lawful immigration status. T visas offer protection to victims and strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to detect, investigate and prosecute human trafficking.
Under federal law, a “severe form of trafficking in persons” is:
- Sex trafficking: When someone recruits, harbors, transports, provides, solicits, patronizes, or obtains a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, where the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or the person being induced to perform such act is under 18 years of age; or
- Labor trafficking: When someone recruits, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains a person for labor or services using force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
Source: USCIS
Resources & Information
For more information, please contact the the Public Information Office by calling (703) 792-5123 or email.