Congress·In Committee·H.R. 2851

WISE Act

Congress Proposes WISE Act to Expand Visas and Federal Benefits for Immigrant Crime Survivors

about 1 year ago·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This bill, introduced in Congress, aims to help immigrants who have survived domestic violence, human trafficking, or sexual assault. It would remove the current 10,000-per-year limit on 'U visas' for crime victims and require the government to issue work permits within 180 days so survivors can support themselves while their cases are processed.
The policy creates 'protected areas' where immigration agents generally cannot make arrests or conduct searches. These areas include schools, hospitals, places of worship, courthouses, and domestic violence shelters. This is intended to ensure that survivors can seek medical care, education, and legal help without fear of being deported.
It would allow 'lawfully present' immigrants, including crime survivors and those in the DACA program, to access federal help like Medicaid, food stamps (SNAP), and housing assistance. The bill removes current rules that often make these families wait years or disqualify them from receiving basic support.
The bill protects survivors from being detained or deported while their applications for legal status are still being reviewed. It also makes it easier for abused spouses and children of visa holders to stay in the U.S. independently if they are being harmed by the person who originally sponsored their visa.
For children who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by parents, the bill removes limits on special green cards to speed up their path to permanent residency. It also allows survivors of abuse by U.S. citizen relatives to apply for citizenship after three years of living in the U.S. instead of the usual five years.

ImmigrationHealthcareCivil Rights

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Life & Work

The bill provides that a pending or dismissed criminal charge alone cannot be the sole basis for detaining a crime survivor who has a pending immigration application. This helps survivors who may have been charged with crimes connected to their abuse situation — for example, being arrested during a domestic violence call — avoid indefinite detention while their cases are processed.

ImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Programs

Disabilities

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Apr 10, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Apr 10, 2025

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

WISE Act

Bill NumberHR 2851

Congress119th Congress

ChamberHouse of Representatives

Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.