Someone hurt me, or I survived abuse or trafficking
Safety first, then the immigration options made for survivors.
5 steps
Step 1 of 5: Get safe
Start with your safety. You can call a help line any time.
- Survivor Safety Complete GuideIf someone has hurt you, threatened you, controlled you or trafficked you, you deserve to be safe, and you do not need papers to ask for help. This guide puts it all in one place. Who to call tonight, how to make a safety plan, how to get a restraining order, how to keep your address and phone private, how to keep your home and your job, help paying costs after a crime, and the immigration paths made for survivors.Complete guide
- Report a crime safelyIn California, calling the police as a victim or witness usually does not lead to ICE. State law bars local police from asking about your status for immigration enforcement or helping ICE with civil arrests. But there are real exceptions, especially if you are arrested yourself. Here is what protects you, where the gaps are, and how to report as safely as possible.Guide
- My safety and papers checklistPrint it and fill it in by handChecklist
Step 2 of 5: Learn the survivor options
The law has paths made for survivors.
- Survivor OptionsYes, there is protection for people who went through something terrible. U.S. law has five main paths for survivors, and you do not need papers to ask about any of them. Here is a plain map of each one, who it is for, and where to get free help in the Bay Area.Guide
- Survivor Immigration Complete GuideIf someone hurt you, trafficked you or abused you, the law has paths made for you. The U visa, the T visa and VAWA can protect survivors and lead to a green card. They take time and they have real rules. This guide shows who each one is for, how certification works, how to stay safe, what happens after you file, and where to get free help in the Bay Area.Complete guide
- My survivor case checklistPrint it and fill it in by handChecklist
Step 3 of 5: Know your case stays private
The law protects information about your case from the person who hurt you.
- Keeping your case privateNo. A federal law, 8 U.S.C. 1367, bars immigration officials from giving any information about your VAWA, U visa or T visa case to your abuser, or to anyone outside the government's own sworn staff. Officers who break it can be fined. Here is what the law covers, the few exceptions, and the places your abuser could still learn something, so you can close those gaps.Guide
- My privacy safety planPrint it and fill it in by handChecklist
Step 4 of 5: Find support to heal
Counseling does not need papers or a lot of money.
- Counseling for survivorsHealing after violence is possible, and you do not have to pay a lot or have papers to start. The Bay Area has free trauma counseling, survivor agencies with therapists, and county mental health care. California can also pay for counseling. Here is where to go and what to ask.Guide
- Counseling for survivors checklistPrint it and fill it in by handChecklist
Step 5 of 5: Get help from a person
You do not have to do this alone. Ask about cost, languages and current openings before you share documents.
- Help lines: Violence, abuse or traffickingCall, text or chat with a service that answers now.Help now
- National Domestic Violence Hotline resourcesFind relationship-abuse support options and links to local providers on the official website.Organization
- ImmigrationLawHelp.orgA national directory of free or low-cost nonprofit immigration legal service providers. Search by ZIP code, county or the name of a detention facility.Organization
This page puts DNLH guides in a useful order. It is general information, not legal advice. Each guide shows its sources and the date its facts were checked.
Not quite your situation?
All situations- ICE detained someone in my familyFind them, get legal help and keep the family going.6 steps
- I want to be ready if agents come to my door, work or carYour rights, what to carry and how to report.5 steps
- I got a court date or a Notice to AppearUnderstand the notice, never miss a hearing, find a lawyer.5 steps
- I want a plan in case I am separated from my childrenWho cares for them, the forms, money and talking with kids.5 steps
Show 4 more situations
- I want to know if I have a path to papersYour status today, the main paths and getting screened safely.5 steps
- I have a green card and want to become a citizenCheck first, apply, study and prepare for the interview.6 steps
- A notario, consultant or lawyer hurt my caseProtect your case, report it and try to get your money back.4 steps
- My USCIS case is stuck, or I movedCheck, ask, escalate, and keep your address current.4 steps