Since its creation in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has included special protections for immigrant survivors of domestic violence. The law is now up for reauthorization. The Senate passed a bipartisan version of VAWA by a vote of 68-31, but the House Judiciary Committee voted for a Republican-sponsored VAWA reauthorization, HR4970, which strips protections for victims and makes it very dangerous for them to seek help under VAWA. A version of the House bill will be reconciled with the Senate version of VAWA before August 2012.
Truthout: A Whittled-Down Violence Against Women Act Could Mean Life or Death for Immigrant Women (7/1/2012)
The Chicago Reporter: Green cards for abused immigrants in jeopardy (July/August 2012 issue)
The Daily Beast: The House’s Immigrant Betrayal With New Violence Against Women Act (5/17/2012)
Chicago Sun-Times: Violence Against Women Act needs strong reauthorization vote (5/15/2012)
RH Reality Check: VAWA Saved My Life. Now House Republicans Are Pushing For Changes That Will Leave Others Like Me Vulnerable (5/14/2012) (personal story of Erika, NIJC client)
RH Reality Check: House Bill on Violence Would Hand Power to Abusers of Immigrant Women and Allow Criminal Prosecution of Victims (5/14/2012) (by NIJC's Mony Ruiz-Velasco)
This article was reposted on Daily Kos and AlterNet.
Chicago Muckrakers (Chicago Reporter blog): An Undocumented Life: Violence Against Women Act, a protector of undocumented victims of domestic violence, held up in House (5/14/2012)
Fox News Latino / EFE: Grupo proinmigrante alerta sobre enmiendas a ley que protege a mujeres
(5/11/2012)