Protecting and Guiding Immigrant Survivors

In perhaps one of the most challenging times for undocumented immigrants in American history, the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County (LAFSBC) is providing a ray of hope. 

The nonprofit civil law firm, which specializes in providing high-quality civil legal services to low-income and other vulnerable residents to ensure equal access to justice, also offers an immigration program as part of its family violence prevention services. 

This vital program focuses on assisting survivors of intimate partner violence who are undocumented, helping them apply for U visas that allow them to legally work while they safely recover from abuse, without fear of deportation. Despite the challenging political climate, this immigration assistance program provides a compassionate, critical pathway to safety and stability for vulnerable families.

“Undocumented survivors have always been reluctant to come to us for emergency assistance like a restraining order, especially when their abuser threatens to use their immigration status against them,” says Jennifer Smith, LAFSBC’s executive director. “When their abusive partner is the primary breadwinner, it leaves the family and children particularly vulnerable economically, which in turn makes it more difficult to stay safe and away from the abuser.”

Legal Aid’s attorneys guide victims through the often overwhelming U visa process, offering survivors, who step out of the shadows to cooperate with law enforcement, protection from deportation. The agency works collaboratively with the local district attorney’s Victim Witness Assistance Program. 

“The process is very complicated, so having legal assistance is essential,” Smith says. “You need a lawyer who understands how it works to do it correctly, so something doesn’t fall through the cracks. If the client continues on the right track, they can ultimately get a green card, become a permanent resident, and even a U.S. citizen. To see these families thrive and recover from the trauma of their abuse and not have to endure additional fear from immigration authorities is just really amazing. Holding abusers accountable makes our communities safer.”

LAFSBC also provides clients with information about up-to-date changes in the law and increased risks, and helps others in the community navigate the current crisis. 

“We connect people to trusted sources of assistance, provide information on immigration topics, and help people learn their rights as it relates to immigration enforcement efforts in the community,” Smith says. “We also connect them to other trusted resources.”

LAFSBC’s other civil legal services – including representing tenants at risk of eviction, consumer protection, disability advocacy, and elder abuse and family violence prevention – continue unabated.

“It’s a tough time, but we’re not abandoning people,” Smith says. “We want to see it through. That’s why we’re here.”