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For Domestic Violence Victims, the Trump Administration Just Made it Harder to Escape [View all]
Nov 11, 2025 6:00 AM ET
For Domestic Violence Victims, the Trump Administration Just Made it Harder to Escape
by Misha Valencia
Misha Valencia is an investigative journalist.
For many survivors of domestic violence, escape is not a single act—it’s a long, dangerous choreography of planning, hiding, and trying to stay alive. It often means stashing essentials in an escape bag, waiting for a moment when the abuser’s guard is down, and leaving in the middle of the night.
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The policy, known as the Legal Services Condition, requires survivors to prove their immigration status before receiving help from programs that are funded by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)—a law that, for over three decades, has served as a lifeline for victims of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
“This directive amounts to institutional betrayal on every level,” says Dr. Sarah Gundle, a New York-based clinical psychologist who works with trauma survivors. “The stakes of turning a survivor away are extremely high. They will face real life and death consequences. Turning away survivors doesn’t just put them in real physical danger, it will also inflict serious psychological harm.”
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“Besides excluding undocumented victims from services, this order forces victims to obtain their immigration documents, which are sometimes in the control of their abusers. Some of these victims will not be able to get the documents because they cannot risk letting their abusive partner know they are taking any kind of legal or other steps” said Joan Meier, Esq, Director of The National Family Violence Law Center. This directive also forces community organizations to become immigration screeners, Meier adds.
more...
https://time.com/7332225/domestic-violence-victims-shelter-trump-immigration/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us
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