WISE Act

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.