| WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Major provisions championed by U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky
(D-IL) to expand legal protections for battered immigrant women and children
and to fund transitional housing for domestic abuse victims were approved
today by the House of Representatives. The provisions, similar to
Schakowsky’s Battered Immigrant Women Protection Act (H.R. 3083) and Domestic
Violence and Sexual Assault Victims’ Housing Act (H.R. 1352), were part
of a larger bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and to combat
the international trafficking of women and children into the sex trade
and slavery.
Due
to recent changes in immigration laws and the expiration of a provision
that permitted immigrants to stay in the United States while awaiting their
green cards, abusive citizens and permanent residents have once again gained
control over their spouse’s immigration status. As a result, battered
women who leave abusive relationships lose access to lawful immigration
status and are forced to leave the United States in order to obtain lawful
permanent residence.
“Immigrant
women who endure abuse while they wait for their green cards can suffer
even more if they speak out against their abusers. They can and will
be deported. This means that if you don’t have a green card, our domestic
abuse laws offer you little or no protection,” Schakowsky said.
“Today,
we ended this injustice. Immigrant women will now be empowered to move
away from their abusers. They will now have the support to build
long-lasting economic self-sufficiency for themselves and their children.
I am very pleased that provisions from my bill were included in this very
important legislation to reauthorize VAWA and fight the trafficking of
human beings,” Schakowsky added.
Provisions
included in today’s bill will allow battered immigrant self-petitioners
to receive their lawful permanent residency status in the United States
without having to travel abroad. Also, a new class of visas will
be created to help battered immigrant women remain in the country. The
maximum number of T visa's in any one year is 10,000. In addition,
provisions will expand legal protections for battered immigrant women so
that they may flee violent homes, obtain court protections, and cooperate
in the criminal prosecution of their abusers without fear of deportation.
The
bill also included language similar to Schakowsky legislation, H.R. 1532.
The legislation authorizes $25 million for transitional housing for women
and children fleeing domestic abuse.
“Victims
of domestic violence are often asked why they don’t just leave. The
all too frequent reason is there is no safe place to go. That’s is
why it is a priority to provide women and children all the necessary assistance
at their time of need,” Schakowsky said. |
