Violence Against Women Act
“The Right Immigration Attorney Makes All The Difference”
Unfortunately, domestic violence is a public health concern of great significance in the United States. Instances of domestic violence are oftentimes regarded as taboo and private affairs in American culture, so that victims of this kind of abuse require specialized assistance in maintaining their rights and seeking justice; victims of domestic violence on the whole face particular challenges that must be uniquely and publicly addressed. One of the ways that the United States government fulfills its responsibility to provide protection for citizens against domestic violence is through carrying out the mission of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA).
Through VAWA, billions of dollars are provided to federal organizations that implement programs and policies to combat domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking nationwide. Programs range from policies to encourage the prosecution of abusers, to prevention and victim’s services. VAWA policies benefit women and men alike.
Under VAWA, protection from domestic violence is regarded as a human right, not just the right of American citizens. In other words, infractions against humanity register as more significant for the U.S government than infractions against its own immigration policies. As such, VAWA takes the particularly vulnerable situation of abused immigrants, regardless of legal status, into account. Battered immigrants in the United States present unique cases amongst abuse victims, in that they might fear arrest and deportation if they report domestic crimes to authorities. Protection through VAWA alleviates these fears.
United States citizens and lawful permanent residents filing immigrant visa petitions for spouses or children sometimes regrettably exploit their control of this process to abuse these beneficiaries. Due to the immigrant provisions of VAWA, spouses and children of abusers may self-petition as well as petition on behalf of any dependents (regardless if the dependent was also abused or even in the country) to obtain immigration benefits in the United States. VAWA allows these victims to file for immigration benefits without the batterer’s knowledge or assistance. Hence, immigrant victims of domestic abuse and their dependents are completely freed from dependency upon petitioning abusers to gain residency or citizenship in the United States.
VAWA’s policies are liberal and far-reaching. For example, even if an immigrant has already divorced based on grounds of abuse, they may self-petition for up to two years after the divorce. The beneficiaries must have entered into the marriage in good faith to receive protection under VAWA. May Law Group, LLC, files many VAWA petitions each year for men and women. Our success record for these petitions to date is outstanding. Although our immigration attorneys cannot guarantee an approval due to variations in the fact patterns of individual cases, May Law Group’s VAWA petitions are carefully and thoroughly prepared by our immigration lawyers, often utilizing evaluations from mental health care professionals to support the applicant’s case; this dedication to filing VAWA petitions which adequately and accurately describe the applicant’s case results in VAWA petitions which meet the standards required for approval of the applicant’s petition and our client receiving much needed protection under VAWA.
Contact an Immigration Attorney in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York
To speak to an immigration attorney about your immigration goals, including obtaining a work visa in New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we welcome you to contact us online or call 412-291-4400 (Pittsburgh) | 215-880-4977 (Philadelphia) | 347-839-1700 (New York City). Free consultations are available. We represent clients throughout the United States, including Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, Allegheny County, and worldwide in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Asia, China, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and South America.