News & Updates

Press Release

This Practice Alert summarizes USCIS’s new extreme vetting policies, including broad adjudication holds, re-review of previously approved cases, and heightened discretionary scrutiny, and explains their serious implications for immigrant survivors seeking safety and stability. It also provides practical guidance for practitioners on preparing clients for the impact of these measures and on developing case strategies and potential legal challenges. 

On January 23, 2026, the federal Trafficking Survivors’ Relief Act of 2026 (TSRA) became law. The TSRA provides a remedy for trafficking survivors to obtain relief from federal criminal records stemming directly from their exploitation. In enacting the TSRA, Congress acknowledged that trafficking survivors frequently acquire a criminal history as a result of their exploitation, which can be a barrier to employment, housing, education, and essential support services and make them more vulnerable to re-exploitation. This 2-pager describes the TSRA and its potential use by immigrant survivors of trafficking charged with or convicted of federal crimes.

Trying to help a trafficking survivor decide whether to file a T visa application? This practice advisory includes factors to consider and discuss with the client.

The age-in rule is a statutory provision designed to protect VAWA derivatives from losing eligibility when they turn 21. This written resource describes the age-in rule and provides practical tips for practitioners to harness its potential.

On Feb. 27, 2026, the BIA decided Matter of Ibarra-Vega, 29 I&N Dec. 476 (BIA 2026), which held that administrative closure over DHS objection is “inappropriate” if it is to await a U visa that is not available “in the reasonably near future.” This Practice Alert r eviews the decision and provides an initial analysis of how immigrant survivors are affected, along with some initial practice tips.

On December 22, 2025, USCIS updated its Policy Manual on petitions filed under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This Policy Alert reviews the changes USCIS highlighted and comments on their impact. It then examines the changes ASISTA views as most critical for practitioners to know about and provides initial guidance in response. ASISTA will provide further guidance through training and written resources as warranted, and members are encouraged to request technical assistance for any individual case questions.

This Practice Pointer synthesizes current recommendations for using USCIS customer service options for survivor-based relief applications. It also discusses how to supplement pending survivor-based petitions via mail, with the hotlines as a backup paper trail. As noted throughout, the information is accurate up to the publication date, but should always be cross-checked with information on USCIS’s website and Policy Manual for the most up-to-date government provisos. This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-23-GK-05161-MUMU awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

On December 22, 2025, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) released an update to its Policy Manual relating to confidentiality protections located at 8 USC § 1367 (“1367 protections”). This Policy Alert will review the changes introduced by the policy update and provide initial guidance to practitioners filing cases affected by them. ASISTA will provide further guidance through training and written resources as warranted, and members are encouraged to request technical assistance for any individual case questions.

ASISTA is aware that the USCIS “Contact Us” page does not include information about which hotline address should be contacted for U cases with receipt numbers that start with IOE. After reaching out to USCIS, until the Contact Us page is updated to reflect their “final determination,” practitioners inquiring about U cases with receipt numbers starting with IOE should reach out to the VSC 918/914 hotline. See this Practice Alert for more information.

This Practice Alert summarizes USCIS’s new extreme vetting policies, including broad adjudication holds, re-review of previously approved cases, and heightened discretionary scrutiny, and explains their serious implications for immigrant survivors seeking safety and stability. It also provides practical guidance for practitioners on preparing clients for the impact of these measures and on developing case strategies and potential legal challenges.

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed HR-1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), which significantly impacts immigrant survivors of human trafficking. The law imposes new filing fees for immigration benefits, motions, and appeals before USCIS and EOIR, establishes additional financial penalties for certain immigration violations, and eliminates eligibility for a range of federal public benefits for many immigrants who were previously considered “qualified,” including trafficking survivors. This Practice Alert reviews these fee and penalty changes, explains the new restrictions on public benefits, and outlines the impact on trafficking survivors seeking T visas and other forms of humanitarian relief, offering guidance for practitioners on how to mitigate the law’s potential harms.

In May and June 2025, ASISTA joined partners at Boston College School of Law, Harbor COV, and Tahirih to submit an amicus briefs to the First and Fourth Circuit Courts of Appeals in cases challenging the executive order on birthright citizenship. ASISTA and partners highlighted the importance of maintaining a preliminary injunction against implementing the order. If the order were implemented, many immigrant mothers of U.S.-born children would only be able to prove their child’s citizenship by submitting documentation about the child’s father’s immigration status. For survivors of intimate partner violence, just knowing the need for this documentation could make it difficult or impossible to leave the abusive relationship. For survivors of sexual assault or trafficking, contacting the perpetrator for the paperwork could put them and their families in immediate physical danger. Using real-life examples, the brief illustrates the stakes if immigrant parents were forced to choose between maintaining their safety and establishing their children’s rights. It urges the court not let this become reality. Read the First Circuit Brief, Doe v. Trump , here ; read the Fourth Circuit Brief, Casa, Inc., et al. v. Trump , here .

On March 14, 2025, President Trump attempted to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to justify carrying out deportations without the due process of immigration proceedings. Since then, multiple federal courts have ruled the invocation was unlawful, but the government continues to fight for its usage, including before the U.S. Supreme Court. On May 16, 2025, the Supreme Court maintained a temporary prohibition on the deportations planned in Texas and sent the issue back to the lower courts. ASISTA celebrates the positive rulings but notes with condemnation that the push against them is ongoing. Check ASISTA’s alert: The Fight to Protect Survivors from the Alien Enemies Act Continue.

Practitioners have reported receiving RFEs and NOIDs in cases submitted with electronically reproduced signatures for original, wet ink signatures where USCIS has requested the original, wet ink signatures. This Practice Alert describes what USCIS’ current signature policy is and what options practitioners have in these cases.

For more information on our mission, programs, and finances, here is ASISTA’s most recent year 990 . ASISTA’s fiscal year is July 1 to June 30.

This Practice Alert will review the information provided by USCIS about the commencement of these interviews and their response to advocacy. ASISTA urges practitioners to report their experiences with this process in our survey . We also urge practitioners to zealously advocate for their clients who may be experiencing stress and confusion leading up to these interviews, and to educate USCIS Field Officers on the special considerations owed to VAWA self-petitioners.

Effectively representing a survivor of domestic violence requires understanding ALL immigration options they may be able to pursue. This chart provides an at-a-glance review of the requirements for VAWA Self-Petitions and VAWA Cancellation of Removal. It also highlights situations where one may be better than the other for certain survivors, though some survivors may be eligible for both.

ALERT : Despite misinformation out there, VAWA, U and T visa programs have NOT been cancelled or terminated! These bipartisan protections were created by Congress and the Administration cannot unilaterally take them away. While there is news that ICE has changed its guidance on enforcement actions related to potential or actual beneficiaries of victim-based benefits, we want to be VERY clear that the VAWA, U and T visa programs have NOT been cancelled or terminated. Please consult with a trusted immigration attorney in your area with any questions. You can find a qualified immigration attorney at the National Immigration Legal Services Directory .