The "U" visa program created as part of the Violence Against Woman Act (VAWA) was, and is, a good idea and an effective tool for law enforcement. As a society, we want people, (including undocumented people) to come forward and report crimes, both as victims and witnesses, in order to bring law enforcement into situations and locations that can assist innocent victims, punish criminals and fight crime. The "U" visa is available to 10,000 people a year who are harmed as victims, or indirect victims, of typically violent crimes. Once the "U" visa is issued, the individual is converted to legal status in the United States, and after three years in this status can seek lawful permanent residence (a green card). That said, the program itself, like every other program that Congress caps with an artificially limited number of visas, has become a shadow of its former self. In just released Fiscal Year 2015 numbers, USCIS let the public know that more than ...
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