Woman facing deportation despite U-visa application

Many people want to take steps to help themselves out of difficult or even dangerous situations. In some cases, it can be extremely difficult to take those steps due to the circumstances, such as a victim of domestic violence being afraid to take action. When individuals are also immigrants in the United States, they may wonder whether certain courses of action, like applying for a U-visa, will actually help them.

Louisiana readers may be interested in one woman who likely feels that the U-visa program was not as helpful as she had hoped. According to reports, the woman had come to the United States from El Salvador and has lived in the country for 15 years. She was recently taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, and she applied for a U-visa due to being a victim of domestic violence.

In past years, a U-visa application often resulted in a stay of removal until the application was processed. However, due to recent changes to immigration policies, that benefit is not always guaranteed, which is the case with this woman. Despite being a victim of a crime and applying for a protective visa, her removal proceedings are still underway.

The U-visa program is intended to help crime victims, and now, those victims may once again be too afraid to come forward to report crimes due to fear of deportation. Unfortunately, as immigration policies continue to change, it can be difficult for immigrants to keep up. If individuals have questions or concerns, they may wish to consult with Louisiana immigration law attorneys who stay up-to-date on such issues.