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Asylum and Humanitarian Relief:
If you have been affected by persecution or natural disasters in your home country, medical emergencies; or other harmful situations, such as domestic violence there are a number of humanitarian programs and protections available to you. Throughout history the United States has offered protection for individuals who have been persecuted in their home countries. If you are fleeing past persecution or have a fear of future persecution, you may be eligible to file an application for asylum, withholding of removal or for protection under the Convention Against Torture.
Asylum may be granted to individuals already on the United States who are unable or unwilling to return to their home country as a result of past persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group (including sexual orientation), or political opinion. If you are granted asylum, you will be allowed to live and work in the United States. You will be able to apply for permanent residency one year after you are granted asylum.
For individuals whose home countries have had natural disasters or civil war, there may be protection in the United States by filing an applicaton for Temporary Protected Status. There are specific requirements for this protection and protection may be available, even if you did not file during the initial eligibilty period. You should consult with an experienced immigraton attorney at Hurst Immigration, PLLC to determine if you qualify.
There is also protection available for individuals who have been victims of certain crimes committed in the United States. Protection is available in the form of a U-non-immigrant visa for victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, felonious assaults, and other similar crimes. For those who qualify for a U-non-immigrant visa, protection may also be available for not only the direct victims, but also for any indirect victims. If your application is approved, you will receive work authorization and lawful status for four years. In the third year of your status, you may be eligible to apply for lawful permanet resident status. The process for applying for a U-non-immigrant visa can be confusing. Call us today for assistance. We are experienced in filing petiions for U-non-immigrant visas.
Domestic violence is a serious problem in commuities. This can be especially true for immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. In these relationships, the immigrant who is beinng abused may feel afraid or helpless, because of their immigration status. There is help available. Even if you entered the U.S. undocumented, you may still be eligible for protection. Such protection would be obtained through a petition filed under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This protection is available to men and women and their children who have been victims of extreme cruelty committed by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse or parent. Approved applications receive work authorization and lawful permanent resident status. Our attorneys are willing to answer any questions you might have and to assist you with your VAWA application.
Other forms of protection, such as the T-Visa are aslo available to victims brought to the United States for sex or forced labor. In order to receive T-1 nonimmigrant status, you must be eligible and you must comply with the application requirements set forth by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). To qualify for status as a T-1 nonimmigrant, a person must: Be a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons, as defined in section 7102 of title 22 of the U.S. Code (22 U.S.C. 7102); Be physically present in the United States, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or at a port of entry thereto, on account of such trafficking, including physical presence on account of the alien having been allowed entry into the United States for participation in investigative or judicial processes associated with an act or a perpetrator of trafficking; Be likely to suffer extreme hardship involving unusual and severe harm upon removal; and have complied with any reasonable request for assistance in the Federal, State, or local investigation or prosecution of acts of trafficking or the investigation of crime where acts of trafficking are at least one central reason for the commission of that crime
You do not have to suffer alone or live in fear. The attorneys of Hurst Immigration, PLLC are available to help.