Crime Victims Program
A path to citizenship provides stability — an important step in breaking cycles of abuse.
Moving Forward With Immigrant Survivors
The Trump Administration instituted unprecedented administrative and policy barriers for survivors of crime, causing them to fear submitting crime visa applications. Survivors of violent crime and domestic crime were routinely detained and removed from the U.S. despite having a pending application for immigration relief. Under the Biden Administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released new prosecutorial discretion guidance for ICE attorneys, permitting them to close cases for survivors of crime—an incredible shift from the previous position that ICE would pursue every case to completion.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also implemented a procedure for fast-tracking relief for survivors of crime who have cooperated with authorities in reporting and prosecuting crime. USCIS can now review a pending U Visa petition and make a quick, bona fide determination that the applicant qualifies. This determination provides protection from removal and ensures legal work authorization. NMILC clients who applied in 2016 are finally getting these bona fide determinations.
Have you been a victim of a crime in the US?
We offer direct representation to people who live in New Mexico or in two of New Mexico’s immigrant detention centers, and who qualify for U Visas, VAWA Self-Petitions, and T Visas. These visas are specifically meant for people who have experienced domestic violence, survived being trafficked for their labor or forced sex, or have survived other violent crimes. If you want to know if you qualify, give us a call at 505-247-1023 to get scheduled for a free screening.
Empowering Survivors Through Holistic Services Under COVID-19
NMILC provides holistic and trauma-informed legal services to immigrant survivors of crimes living in New Mexico, and to survivors living in two of New Mexico’s immigrant detention centers. We know that the stability that a path to citizenship provides is an important aspect of breaking the cycles of abuse in our communities. In 2021, NMILC’s Survivor Advancement Program provided clients with holistic services via trauma-informed legal assistance and representation, and supported them in navigating community and government resources. More than 70% of clients directly represented by one of our attorneys are survivors of a violent crime or human trafficking.
NMILC utilizes trauma-informed practices that are research-based and anti-racist, in order to combat the harmful effects of traumatic events in our communities. For some clients, this means creating individualized plans to connect them to the resources they need. When possible and necessary, our Victim Advocates and Pathways Navigators provide direct case management services in addition to our legal services. We offer this support because we know the trauma that many of our clients experience can be transformed, through a collaborative effort, into a powerful force for community-wide healing. Click below to learn more about our holistic services for survivors of violent crimes.
Community Collaboration
Survivors of crimes sometimes have complex and varied needs. We choose to leverage the power of community resources to provide holistic services. We collaborate with local counseling agencies, case management providers, and domestic violence and sexual assault response agencies across the state to make sure our clients have the skills and resources to succeed in all areas of life. If your organization would like to collaborate with us, let us know!
Our community partners include:
Stories From Survivors
Pseudonyms are used in many of our published survivor stories at the request of our clients for safety precautions.
Surviving Domestic Violence: A Survivor’s Immigration Story
Selena (pseudonym) is a young woman who survived seemingly insurmountable circumstances to fight for her abuser’s conviction and for her own path to lawful immigration status.
Surviving Trafficking: A Survivor’s Immigration Story
Josefina (pseudonym) survived human trafficking more than 15 years ago. With NMILC’s help, she obtained her T Visa in 2021.
Get Involved as a Volunteer
Kari Converse is a longtime court-certified volunteer interpreter with NMILC who translates legal documents and interprets for clients during the medical evaluations and screenings required for their cases. She also volunteers at our monthly clinic for immigrant survivors hosted in partnership with UNM Physicians for Human Rights at the One Hope Centro de Vida Health Clinic. This year, Kari helped make a long-shot VAWA win possible for one of our survivor clients by interpreting for them during a psychological evaluation needed for case evidence at their immigration court hearing.
NMILC is actively recruiting certified interpreters in any language interested in volunteering to provide language access to NMILC clients. If interested, please fill out a volunteer inquiry form at nmilc.org/volunteer, or email Delaney Swink, NMILC Volunteer Coordinator at: dswink@nmilc.org.
