Gainesville Crime Victims Immigration Lawyer
When you are in a new country where you are unfamiliar with the language and customs, even the simplest tasks can be a challenge. Think back to when you first arrived in the United States and how much effort it took to order food at a restaurant, ride public transportation, or open a bank account. Now think about how much intellectual and emotional work it takes to report a crime to the police, even in your own language and culture. To say that immigrants who experience human trafficking, domestic violence, and other crimes face a unique set of challenges in getting out of abusive situations is an understatement. All victims of crimes in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have the right to report the crimes to the police and seek assistance in getting away from their abusers. This means that, even if you are undocumented, social services and the legal system will help you escape from abuse. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a crime while in a vulnerable immigration category, contact a Gainesville crime victims immigration lawyer.
Visas for Victims of Human Trafficking
Congress has created the T visa and U visa categories for people who entered the United States through human trafficking, abduction, or other crimes. Some applicants for these visas were physically coerced into entering the United States, and others were targets of fraud; in other words, traffickers falsely promised to help them apply to enter the United States legally. Once in the United States, many applicants in these categories endured forced labor, involuntary servitude, or sexual exploitation.
Receiving a T visa or U visa is a lot like receiving asylum, because the visa enables you to apply for legal permanent residency after holding the T or U visa for a certain amount of time. Most adult applicants for T or U visas must cooperate with law enforcement in investigations into human trafficking. Your immigration lawyer can help you do this.
Domestic Violence and Your Immigration Case
Many immigrants have entered the United States as the fiancée of a U.S. citizen, thinking that the future was bright, but their American spouse only showed their true colors after they got married. If you got a green card through marriage, you risk losing your green card if you divorce after a short time or if your spouse persuades the court that you defrauded your spouse into marrying you. Unfortunately, many abusive spouses threaten their immigrant spouses with loss of immigration status if they try to escape the abuse, but do not fall for the threat. The family courts and USCIS can tell the difference between marriage fraud and domestic violence. An immigration lawyer can help you get out of an abusive marriage without losing your green card.
Crime Victims Immigration Lawyers in Gainesville, Georgia
An immigration lawyer can help you apply for a T visa or U visa or represent you in your immigration case after you have left an abusive marriage. Contact Shirazi Immigration Law, Inc. at our offices in Atlanta, Georgia to represent you in your naturalization case.
