U.S. Offers Visas To Crime Victims

Long-Delayed Program Lets Illegal Immigrants Who Are Crime Victims Apply For Visas

(AP)  Illegal immigrants who are victims of violent crimes in the U.S. can now apply for special visas allowing them to remain in the country if they cooperate with law enforcement agencies.

The program, which aims to encourage illegal immigrants to report crimes against them by offering them the right to stay in the United States and eventually apply for permanent residency, comes into effect seven years after Congress passed it into law.

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.

"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.

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, California, where he works as a field hand harvesting fruit.

The 30-year-old Mexican citizen was one of seven people held at gunpoint at a highway rest stop in Arizona 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.

Angela Ferguson, an immigration attorney in Kansas City, Missouri, 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."

[michellem99-2009]

It is a term I read in an on line newspaper in London Uk and my girlhood home newspaper in Bargor,Maine. And my friends. What it means erasmus6 is the govt put rules in place that just make no sense when yer thing about it. Before 9/11/01 I could go in a business and take care of it. Today to go in a business they demamand my purse to paw in it. A wane over my person..They look in every thing. I use a white cane that was made in your nation. It is like a prisom in some areas. This is not what my senior dad went in the army over.

[erasmus6]

MichelleM99

What is a "nanny government"? I have heard it before but I really do not know what it means.

[michellem99-2009]

erasmus6 Dear..I am one person and this nanny govt loves them why only Bush knows. Them papers they issue the illegals won''t stop them..ILLEGALS KNOW AND THEY HAVE TO DO IS CRY ONE WORD AND THEIR HERE. We are so over run..

[erasmus6]

"WAKE UP. illgals are here and yer know what..Send their azzs back and tell them to do it right.I was talking to my friend and he told me that IF we Americans go aroard they WILL send our azzes back in a heart beat.." posted by MichelleM99

There is no place like the U.S. that allows illegal immigrants in the way they do. Instead of giving them a visa they need to be kicking them out. The U.S. needs to straighten out their country and they can''t do it if more and more people are coming in illegally.

There are so many illegal immigrants that it is probably impossible to get them all out. They probably figure that if they give them visas, they will at least be able to keep track of them better.

[bhappy2-2]

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.

We, The CITIZENS of America, DEMAND the criminal acts of these ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS be PROSECUTED to the fullest extent of the law. LOCK these ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS up or SEND them BACK! Just get these ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS out of OUR COUNTRY.

cantshutup... You may have a point there. If the Law FAILS or REFUSES to do their job WE, as CITIZENS of America, MAY HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS available to us.

[cantshutup]

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

WHO PHFU*KING DECIDED THIS WAS A CRIME?????? THE DAY IS COMING WHEN CITIZENS WILL NEED TO TAKE UP ARMS AND TAKING THESE MUTHERF*CKERS OUT THEMSELVES!!! LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDES ILLEGALS...WE AREN"T GONNA KEEP TAKING THIS SH*T!!!

[slim1h2o]

"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

About time, and don''t let the door hit you in the arss as you leave. Take the rest of''em too.

[olebd]

Uh, gee....isn''t this a form of amnesty????

[klingon69]

Was passed into law 7 years ago, so under Clintoon''s reign. Why do these idiots keep *** us over?

[jdubs63]

OH HOLY ***

[grammawhamma]

All I have to say about this is OMG... ***!!??

[klingon69]

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

Better change the name to the US ILLEGAL ALIEN immigration services. This is not anything that is for citizens. Where is the funding for this fiasco coming from, oh guess what, taxpayers. Vote all the old cronies out next election.

[klingon69]

America;
Wake up and see the selling off of your country and birthright. Who decided this? Why was this not brought up in all the other amnesty krap this past year? Just another way the govt is *** over citizens for invaders. Find out which congresspeople voted for this, and make sure they get to go to the unemployment line after next election.

[michellem99-2009]

WAKE UP. illgals are here and yer know what..Send their azzs back and tell them to do it right.I was talking to my friend and he told me that IF we Americans go aroard they WILL send our azzes back in a heart beat..

[bhappy2-2]

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

According to the report I guess even if THEY are committing a crime (such as ILLEGALLY INVADING OUR COUNTRY) and they are held at gunpoint THAT STILL QUALIFIES as a violent crime. I guess if it had been a Border Patrol agent or Police Officer he would have been granted immediate citizenship and the Border Patrol agent or Police Officer would be serving 20 to life for his/ her "violent crime" against an ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADER.

[bhappy2-2]

tucanofulano- Exactly! These ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS now have a way to stay; just report they have been a "crime victim" and get a free pass. Never mind that THEY are themselves CRIMINALS, that doesn''t matter to our TRAITORS in government. They are causing the downfall of OUR country by allowing these ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS to be here; now they want to KEEP THEM here even though the criminal who may or may not victimize them MAY BE AN ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADER as well. I can see it now;
Jose: I need to get a visa, I was the victim of a violent crime. Pablo beat me up and took my money.
Pablo: I need to get a visa: I was the victim of a violent crime. Jose beat me up and stole my drugs.

End result- BOTH get to stay because they were ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS and victimized by each other while involved in criminal activities.(Just being here is a criminal activity for them).
These TRAITORS will keep on until we wind up being NORTH MEXICO, Third world nation in training.
We MUST STOP these ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS; this has gone on too long.

[tucano2]

What kind of inside-out program is this that rewards criminals for also being on the other end of a pistol? These criminals are illegal aliens - there is absolutely no excuse for not deporting them immediately.