South Florida Humanitarian Immigration Lawyers
Immigrants built the United States of America, many fleeing religious and social persecution in their home countries. The U.S. still provides a pathway for victims of persecution, abuse, natural disasters, and crimes to obtain legal status – including work authorization, benefits, and a green card – through various humanitarian immigration programs.
Asylum
Asylum, also known as affirmative asylum, is the most well-known form of humanitarian immigration. To be eligible, new arrivals must demonstrate they have a reasonable and well-founded fear of returning to their home countries due to persecution based upon:
- Race
- Nationality
- Religion
- Political affiliation
- Membership in a particular social group (PSG)
Women from certain oppressive nations generally qualify for gender-based asylum under the PSG category. Asylum provides work authorization, which may lead to a green card. However, you must typically apply within one year of arriving in the United States unless an exception applies. Obtaining asylum often requires detailed testimony and legal proof, necessitating the assistance of our experienced South Florida immigration lawyers.
T Visas (Victims of Human Trafficking)
One of the most recent changes to U.S. immigration law came from the dedicated advocacy of concerned humanitarian lawyers and trafficking survivors. In October 2020, Congress created the ‘T nonimmigrant status’ to protect survivors of human trafficking, including the following:
Labor Trafficking
Defined as when someone – often called a ‘wolf’ – recruits, harbors, provides, transports, or obtains a person for labor or service using force, fraud, or coercion. The servitude must be involuntary, such as undertaken through threats and fear, or the person obtained must be under the age of 18.
Sex Trafficking
Occurs when someone – a trafficker, ‘pimp’, or ‘John’ – obtains, recruits, harbors, transports, solicits, or patronizes a legal sex slave. Those in sexual slavery are defined as children under the age of 18 or those induced to perform sex acts through force, fraud, or coercion.
With help from the immigration and nationality lawyers at Robert M Bell PA, survivors of human trafficking in Florida can obtain legal status, plus work authorization and public benefits, if they assist law enforcement with related criminal investigations upon request (or qualify for an exception). T visas can eventually lead to green cards and naturalization.
U Visas and VAWA (Violence Against Women Act)
If you’re the victim of violent criminal activity (other than trafficking) and are helping law enforcement with an investigation, an attorney can help you qualify for a U visa. This visa covers survivors of rape, sexual violence, domestic abuse, and other serious crimes. You may obtain work authorization, benefits, and a green card through this visa.
VAWA is a similar program specifically designed for victims of domestic abuse who would otherwise qualify for an immediate relative (family-based) visa. This means the spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens or permanent residents. VAWA allows victims to file the I-130 on their own behalf. Filing fees are also waived in many cases, giving victims of domestic violence a path to obtain a green card without help from their abusers. Contact our Florida family-based immigration lawyers for help requesting status under VAWA.
South Florida Humanitarian Immigration Lawyers
Whether you’re suffering from domestic abuse or need help obtaining TPS (Temporary Protected Status), discuss your options with the experienced humanitarian immigration attorneys at Robert Bell. Call (954) 241-4209 or connect with us online.