In a bold move to strengthen the safeguards for undocumented immigrants who find themselves victims or witnesses to criminal activities, Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-04) and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) have introduced the Immigrant Witness and Victim Protection Act. This legislation, as reported by Moore's office, is designed to lift the barriers that often deter such individuals from seeking justice, ensuring that their cooperation with law enforcement does not lead to their penalization.
With a domestic violence rate among immigrant women that triples the national average, Moore and Panetta's proposal answers a critical need. There is an annual statutory cap of 10,000 on the U Visa program, which is far outstripped by demand; a clear signal that the system in place is buckling under the pressure to protect the very people it was established to serve. By lifting the caps on U visas and preventing the detention or deportation of eligible applicants before protection is duly granted, the proposed act would build a firmer bridge between immigrant communities and justice.
Despite existing federal protections, including the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and U and T visas, fear of deportation overshadows the decision to come forward for many survivors. Addressing these apprehensions, the Immigrant Witness and Victim Protection Act also proposes establishing a clear timeline for issuing work authorization permits. According to Rep. Moore, “The Trump administration has subjected T and U visa applicants to immigration enforcement across the country, including in Milwaukee. Yessenia Ruano, a trafficking victim, T-visa applicant, and upstanding Milwaukee resident, was forced to self-deport before her application was fully reviewed. My other constituent, Ramon Morales Reyes, a U-visa applicant, was framed by the person who robbed him and wanted him deported before he could testify in a criminal case.” Moore further highlighted the injustice faced by another constituent, Yessenia Ruano, a trafficking victim and T-visa applicant, forced to self-deport before her application was comprehensively reviewed.
Rep. Panetta, bringing his experience as a former prosecutor to the fore, has emphasized the importance of trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities. "These days, with this Administration, many non-citizen victims and witnesses won’t come forward to report a crime, as they feel they will be deported rather than rewarded for participating in our criminal justice system,” Panetta stated on Moore's office. The act aims to remove obstacles for non-citizen cooperation, which is pivotal for ensuring public safety and accountability.
The bill has garnered support from a coalition of advocacy organizations. Among them are the Tahirih Justice Center, ASISTA, and the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (Cast), who work tirelessly on behalf of immigrant rights, domestic violence prevention, and criminal justice reform.
