Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice
Abstract
The U Visa, established in 2000 under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization, was designed to provide legal status to victims of certain crimes, including sex trafficking, without fear of deportation. However, its implementation has been hindered by significant challenges, including delayed regulations, confusion among applicants, and reliance on law enforcement cooperation, which can be a barrier for traumatized victims. While the U Visa offers more flexibility than the T Visa by covering a broader range of crimes and requiring a lower standard of proof, its effectiveness is limited by factors such as annual caps, inadequate state anti-trafficking laws, and law enforcement discretion.
Disciplines
Criminal Law | Criminal Procedure | Human Rights Law | Immigration Law | Law | Law and Gender | Law and Society | Sexuality and the Law
Recommended Citation
Erin Bistricer,
"U" Stands for Underutilization: The U Visa's Vulnerability for Underuse in the Sex Trafficking Context,
18
Cardozo J. Equal Rts. & Soc. Just.
449
(2012).
Available at:
https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cardozoersj/vol18/iss2/7
Included in
Criminal Law Commons, Criminal Procedure Commons, Human Rights Law Commons, Immigration Law Commons, Law and Gender Commons, Law and Society Commons, Sexuality and the Law Commons