08/12/2026
Here's who this protects:
VAWA: abused spouses, abused children, and abused parents of U.S. citizens or green card holders.
U visas: victims of certain serious crimes who helped law enforcement and suffered injury.
T visas: survivors of human trafficking and peonage (forced labor for little or no pay).
Since January, ICE had been arresting and detaining people with pending VAWA, U visa, and T visa applications even those with deferred action and final orders of removal. Many of these individuals are trauma survivors who came forward to help law enforcement.
Now, a federal judge has ruled ICE cannot detain: people with pending VAWA cases, pending U visa applications, pending T visa applications, those granted deferred action on U or T visas, and even U/T visa petitioners with final removal orders.
Approved VAWA cases already carry their own separate protections that ICE recognizes.
PSA: This is a major win for survivors, but immigration rulings can change or be appealed. If this applies to you or someone you know, consult with a licensed immigration attorney to understand how it affects your specific case.