Thread: New US Visas Offered to Crime Victims

New US Visas Offered to Crime Victims
By ROXANA HEGEMAN

http://ap.google.com
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Illegal immigrants who are victims of violent crimes in the U.S. can now apply for special visas, seven years after Congress offered protection against deportation to those who cooperate with law enforcement agencies.

The U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services is finally starting to process the visas this week, agency spokeswoman Marilu Cabrera said.

The long delay occurred largely because the agency drafted rules for issuing the so-called "U" visas before it became a division of the then-new Department of Homeland Security, she said. Consequently, the rules had to be reviewed again. Then the Department of Justice had concerns, she said.

"It is legally very complex, and so it went back and forth for a while," Cabrera said.

The 2000 Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act established the visa to encourage illegal immigrants to report crimes against them in return for the right to remain in the United States and eventually apply for permanent residency.

"This is an extremely important visa for individuals who have been victims of a crime," Cabrera said. "It is helpful for the government that we get information and cooperation so we can solve these crimes and prevent future crimes. For the person, it gives them peace of mind and an opportunity for a new life."

The law authorized up to 10,000 "U" visas every year. The visas are good for up to four years, and visa holders who are in the U.S. continuously for three years can apply for permanent residency.

Critics are concerned about that provision.

"I would much prefer that we used it as a temporary visa, not an immigrant visa — something that allowed a person to testify but didn't give them the jackpot of a green card," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors limits on immigration.

Ed Hayes, the Kansas director of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, is more vigorous in his opposition to the program. He argues that there are many more American victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants than illegal immigrants who are crime victims.

"If they are here illegally, they broke the law," Hayes said. "If they become a victim, I am sorry for them. They should testify and then go home."

Since the law was passed, 8,301 petitioners and their families have been granted interim relief from deportation while awaiting publication of the "U" visa rules. They now have 180 days to apply for the special visas.

Among those who qualified for deferred action was Eleuterio Rodriguez Ruiz, who said he hopes to get a visa that will allow him to travel to Mexico to see his parents.

"More than anything I came to this country to find a better standard of living, maybe even buy a house," he said in Spanish in a phone interview from Sacramento, Calif., where he works as a field hand harvesting fruit.

The 30-year-old Mexican citizen was one of seven people held at gunpoint at an Arizona rest stop by an Army reservist as they were crossing illegally into the United States.

Rodriguez Ruiz said he cooperated with authorities, who subsequently filed aggravated assault charges against Sgt. Patrick Haab. The county attorney later dropped the charges, citing a state law that allows citizens to make an arrest when a felony has been committed.

The delay in the "U" visa program led a coalition of civil rights groups to file a class-action lawsuit in 2005 against Citizen and Immigration Services and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

"We intend to continue the fight for immigrant crime victims. ... Because it was a largely poor, vulnerable population with no political clout, it took seven years," said Peter A. Schey, lead counsel in the lawsuit.

Schey wants Citizen and Immigration Services to allow more than 10,000 annual "U" visas to compensate for the delay.

He also opposes restrictions giving victims only six months to apply for the visa and the requirement that petitioners be certified as crime victims by a law enforcement agency or prosecutor.

"Hundreds of thousands of law enforcement agencies will not see fit to certify them. They don't know about it, don't want to get involved or don't care," Schey said.

Angela Ferguson, an immigration attorney in Kansas City, Mo., who has handled about 50 deferred action cases for "U" visas, doubts the program will change immigrants' attitudes toward police.

"I don't think it is going to help them trust law enforcement more," she said. "The fear is being stirred up everywhere — the fear of racial profiling, the rumors, the raids. I have people for the first time coming into my office and saying they are giving up and leaving."

What a bunch of crap!

Ed Hayes, the Kansas director of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, is more vigorous in his opposition to the program. He argues that there are many more American victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants than illegal immigrants who are crime victims.

Again, they ignore the citizens--they are last..if that at all.

Since the law was passed, 8,301 petitioners and their families have been granted interim relief from deportation while awaiting publication of the "U" visa rules. They now have 180 days to apply for the special visas.

Among those who qualified for deferred action was Eleuterio Rodriguez Ruiz, who said he hopes to get a visa that will allow him to travel to Mexico to see his parents.

"More than anything I came to this country to find a better standard of living, maybe even buy a house," he said in Spanish in a phone interview from Sacramento, Calif., where he works as a field hand harvesting fruit.
The 30-year-old Mexican citizen was one of seven people held at gunpoint at an Arizona rest stop by an Army reservist as they were crossing illegally into the United States.

Rodriguez Ruiz said he cooperated with authorities, who subsequently filed aggravated assault charges against Sgt. Patrick Haab. The county attorney later dropped the charges, citing a state law that allows citizens to make an arrest when a felony has been committed.

What kind of crap is this and why are ILLEGAL ALIENS allowed to file lawsuits in this country? This guy like millions of them is about to be handed citizenship on a silver platter, he still hasn't bothered to learn English and he sounds as if being given citizenship is merely a way to be able to go back to Messyco and return at his leisure.

This gets more insane each day.

NO matter what we do, there is going to be some "do-gooder" come along behind us and care more for illegals than their fellow citizens!

I fear we have lost the spirit of our Country, for the love of money, we have people who would sell their mother!

Loyality to the USA seems to be replaced by $$$$. If our kids are not taught our history, respect for our flag and country, the hunger for our Country to return to what she once was......we are doomed!

There have been laws like this for some crimes for a long time. Women used it all the time against men by claiming they were victims of domestic violence. In some cases they would deliberately live with men known to be violent just to be able to stay legally. What happens is they go to the courthouse and get an injunction and go to legal aid. They also bring police records of cases where police were called. The police get called as they illegals know that under those conditions they can't call ICE. The women in most cases get a temopary green card that is good for a year or two and they can apply for residency.
Another way women end up getting residency is by coming here as a sex worker in order to get here. There are Eastern European women who do so knowing very well that they will be working as prostitutes to pay back for their trip over here. When the places they work get raided the women claim that they can't go back because both them and their families will be ridiculed and go on how they had no idea what they would be doing. In some cases they innocent but many are not. They all end up being allowed to stay.

He was held at gunpoint by a citizen while he was committing a FELONY and HE's a victim of a violent crime??? WTH?? Umm NO. A violent crime is if he had gotten the snot kicked outta him, not be told to put your hands up!!


Spousal abuse is a violent crime! Rape is a violent crime! What happened to this scumbag is NOT any crime, HE'S the criminal here; why would he get one of these visas?

I just can't belive the idiocy of people that legislate this crap.

Yesterday a hispanic woman who I believe is Illegal called police and said 3 masked men broke into her house in broad daylight.The police asked her what they wanted and she said she really didn't know and they just left without taking anything ???

I thought immediately this was a planned attack so now she can apply for victim statis.

If they break our laws by coming into our country Illegaly,stealing our identities, what makes our government think they will not lie about being victims ?

Does U.S. Citizenship really mean so little to our legislatures?

The law authorized up to 10,000 "U" visas every year. The visas are good for up to four years, and visa holders who are in the U.S. continuously for three years can apply for permanent residency.

"The law authorized up to 10,000 "U" visas" - WHAT LAW!? I heard it was being discussed, but when was it made into law?

This is a load of CRAP. Now every illegal alien here is going to scamper around looking for ways to become "victims of crimes". Almost "anything goes" under that law. I WILL NEVER ACCEPT THIS, AND A "U" VISA IN MY OPINION WILL NEVER CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT THEIR STATUS. THE "U" WILL ALWAYS STAND FOR "UNDOCUMENTED" IN MY BOOK.