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Protect the rights of abused immigrant women facing deportation
Domestic violence against immigrant women is a growing trend in California and the United States as a whole. As the number of immigrants living in California rises, abuse levels also increase, and many women find themselves without resources or protection after marrying US citizens to obtain conditional resident status.
For many, leaving abusive marriages to US citizens is not an option because the threat of deportation after divorce is constantly used to frighten them into enduring significant domestic violence.
The Family Violence Prevention Fund names four specific barriers for these women that prevent them from leaving violent relationships:
According to a report by the National Institute for Justice, for example, 60% of Korean immigrant women reported suffering domestic abuse from their husbands. This number is extremely high. It is important to keep in mind that this is only one immigrant population and that these women do not have the same resources as women who are US citizens.
Current law provides certain protections for immigrant women without permanent and full citizenship under the Federal Violence Against Women Act of 1994. They are allowed to seek green cards despite their marital status if they are fleeing an abusive relationship.
This critical safety net, which has aided over 30,000 immigrant women since the creation of the Act, is currently being re-examined by the Department of Homeland Security. They seek to revoke the right of immigrant spouses to remain in this country when their abusive US citizen or permanent-resident spouses refuse to help them obtain legal status.
AJR 42 by Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia (R–El Centro) advocates continuing this protection by urging Congress not to alter the Act. This bill contends that, should such a change in policy be made, many more women would choose to stay in abusive relationships to maintain their legal status. A large number would stay in abusive relationships due to the fear of losing their children, who are US citizens, should they leave their marriage and face deportation.
Protecting the basic rights of immigrant women suffering domestic violence is important to safeguarding women's rights and protecting the family. In 1998, approximately 916,000 children were exposed to domestic abuse; this number has likely escalated significantly in the past 10 years.
Please urge your senator to support AJR 42 and vote in favor of its passage when it comes before them in the Senate.
Please copy the following text into your favorite word processor and customize it. Return it to LLP so we can track it.
The Hon.
The California State Legislature
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Senator:
I am writing to strongly support Assembly Joint Resolution 42 (Bonnie Garcia) to ensure that immigrant women fleeing domestic violence from their spouses continue to have full protection under the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.
For many female immigrants, leaving abusive marriages to US citizens is not an option; the threat of deportation after divorce is constantly used to frighten them into enduring significant domestic violence. The Family Violence Prevention Fund names four specific barriers for these women that prevent them from leaving violent relationships: strict immigration laws, lack of language mastery, social isolation, and limited or nonexistent financial resources.
Current law provides certain protections for immigrant women without permanent and full citizenship under the Federal Violence Against Women Act, which allows them to seek green cards despite their marital status if they are fleeing an abusive relationship.
This critical safety net, having aided over 30,000 immigrant women since the creation of the act, is currently being re-examined by the Department of Homeland Security, which seeks to revoke the right of immigrant spouses to remain in the United States when their abusive US citizen or permanent-resident spouses refuse to help them obtain legal status.
AJR 42 advocates continuing this protection by urging Congress not to alter the act. Should such a change in policy be made, many more women would choose to stay in abusive relationships to maintain their legal status. A large number would stay in abusive relationships due to the fear of losing their children who are US citizens, should they flee their marriage and face deportation.
Please support and help protect these women and vote in favor of AJR 42 when it comes before you in the Senate.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
This page updated July 2, 2008.