1/ 🎤 [Taps mic] 🎤
We're thrilled to announce that we've just unveiled a brand-new @reveal Reporting Network.
This one is about U visas – and all the ways U.S. law enforcement has put up barriers for immigrant crime victims. revealnews.org/welcome-to-rev…
We're thrilled to announce that we've just unveiled a brand-new @reveal Reporting Network.
This one is about U visas – and all the ways U.S. law enforcement has put up barriers for immigrant crime victims. revealnews.org/welcome-to-rev…
2/ Some context:
The U visa is supposed to protect immigrant crime victims that cooperate with law enforcement.
But across the country, police are undermining it.
@lauracmorel's brand-new investigation, out today: revealnews.org/article/the-u-…
The U visa is supposed to protect immigrant crime victims that cooperate with law enforcement.
But across the country, police are undermining it.
@lauracmorel's brand-new investigation, out today: revealnews.org/article/the-u-…
3/ How does this work?
Well, when victims pursue the visa, they are dropped into a capricious system in which law enforcement officials decide on their own which cases to support or decline.
Well, when victims pursue the visa, they are dropped into a capricious system in which law enforcement officials decide on their own which cases to support or decline.
4/ Four agencies simply refuse to consider requests. The police departments in McAllen, Texas; Quincy, Massachusetts; Yonkers, New York; and Rochester, New York, don’t participate in the U visa process.
5/ At least 20 departments have created their own arbitrary rules beyond the federal guidelines.
The Gwinnett County Police Department in Georgia, for example, considers the “solvability” of the case. So do four other departments.
The Gwinnett County Police Department in Georgia, for example, considers the “solvability” of the case. So do four other departments.
6/ Others consider the mental and physical harm caused to the victim, criteria that explicitly isn’t law enforcement’s job.
Another 19 agencies we contacted either declined to provide their U visa procedures or did not return calls for comment.
Another 19 agencies we contacted either declined to provide their U visa procedures or did not return calls for comment.
7/ So that's a lot of departments in a lot of different places.
Your turn to start reporting.
Our goal with this – and ALL of our reporting networks – is to help local reporters keep pushing the story forward in their communities.
More on that here: revealnews.org/article/how-we…
Your turn to start reporting.
Our goal with this – and ALL of our reporting networks – is to help local reporters keep pushing the story forward in their communities.
More on that here: revealnews.org/article/how-we…
8/ Sign up for our U Visas Reporting Network, and you'll get locations, contact info and written policies for more than two dozen law enforcement agencies that are creating additional barriers for U visa applicants.
9/ We've got another list, too:
Those agencies we mentioned above – the ones that simply refused to answer our questions.
You might want to follow up with them, if you're nearby.
Those agencies we mentioned above – the ones that simply refused to answer our questions.
You might want to follow up with them, if you're nearby.
10/ Finally, we'll be hosting a webinar next week in which @lauracmorel will break down these resources and offer up extra tips about how to report on this issue.
11/ To get access to all this, sign up here: revealnews.org/welcome-to-rev…
(It's free, by the way.)
(It's free, by the way.)
12/ And if you're interested in pushing ALL of our stories further at the local level with data, tips and other resources we offer, please consider signing up for our Reporting Networks here: revealnews.org/local/reveal-r…
