A new report from Human Rights Watch highlights how the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies are undercutting public safety by discouraging crime victims from coming forward. The 50-page report, “‘We Need U’: How the U Visa Builds Trust, Counters Fear, and Promotes Community Safety,” finds that aggressive deportation tactics and new ICE guidance—allowing arrests in previously safe spaces like courthouses and health centers—are deterring undocumented victims from reporting crimes or seeking protective orders.
“Despite strong rhetoric about cracking down on crime, these enforcement actions are benefiting abusers and making it less likely they will be prosecuted,” said Sara Darehshori, consultant to Human Rights Watch and author of the report. “If the administration is serious about combatting crime, it will expand and improve visa programs that allow victims to come forward without fear of deportation.”
Congress created the U visa program in 2000 to protect survivors of crimes such as domestic violence, rape, trafficking, and other offenses, granting them legal residency if they cooperate with law enforcement. By shielding victims from deportation threats, the program strengthens law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute abusers.
Researchers conducted 43 interviews nationwide between May and October 2025 with law enforcement officials, immigration lawyers, advocates, and survivors. One example detailed a woman in New York brutally attacked by her boyfriend, who threatened her life. She reported the abuse to police while receiving emergency medical care and is now awaiting her U visa.
The report also cites an Alliance for Immigrant Survivors survey in spring 2025, in which over 75% of advocates said their clients feared contacting the police, and over 70% said clients hesitated to go to court because of threats from abusers.
While the U visa program faces challenges—limited availability, long wait times, and discretionary certification by law enforcement—Human Rights Watch emphasizes its critical role in protecting victims, preventing further crimes, and ensuring human rights obligations are met.
“The U visa helps break through the fear that often silences survivors, allowing them to seek help without risking their families,” said Saloni Sethi, commissioner of New York City’s Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. “Strengthening and streamlining the U visa process would allow more survivors to come forward, help prosecute offenders, and contribute to a safer New York City.”
