ST PAUL, Minn. - For an immigrant who is a victim of a crime, seeking justice can be especially difficult. Minnesota lawmakers are making that process easier in a move supporters say removes a level of fear.

The federal government has a way for foreign nationals, who have been victimized by serious crimes, to protect their legal status if they cooperate with law enforcement.

They can apply for what's known as a U visa, designed to encourage them to come forward without fear of deportation or retaliation.

But Veena Iyer, executive director of the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, said there's been issues in seeing this component utilized around the state.

"One of the requirements for the U visa is a certification from law enforcement with regard to that cooperation," said Iyer. "And unfortunately, we've seen in Minnesota that there have been instances where law enforcement hasn't timely responded to those requests for certification. "

She said that delay can make survivors feel even more isolated in cases of domestic violence or human trafficking.

New language included in a public safety spending bill sets deadlines for police to issue a certification.

Some GOP lawmakers questioned if this allows people to exploit the process. But supporters say there are safeguards.

The move coincides with the Biden administration's step to provide work permits for those with a pending U visa application, amid a massive backlog.

Iyer cited many reasons why it's been hard for law enforcement to issue these certifications, including a lack of understanding about the process. But she said she hopes this prompts more survivors to come forward and see their cases solved.

"Our hypothesis would be that over the next several years, this is going to be a really great tool for law enforcement," said Iyer. "And then, of course, also a really great protection for victims. "

In addition to setting deadlines, law-enforcement agencies have to identify a point person for issuing certifications, while implementing protocols for language access.

The legislative effort was led by Rep. Sandra Feist - DFL-New Brighton - who says it provides "transparency and consistent timelines." The spending bill was expected to be signed by the governor.

A new report questions New York City Mayor Eric Adams' latest budget proposal for dealing with the city's influx of over 110,000 migrants. The cost for housing the migrants is the reason Mayor Adams is warning city departments to be prepared to trim 15% from their budgets if state and federal funds are not provided soon. But a report from the Fiscal Policy Institute takes issue with Adams' proposal.

Nathan Gusdorf, executive director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, said a 15% cut would mean $2 billion less for New York City's Department of Education, and just under $1.5 billion for the Department of Social Services, and he questions the timing.

"Needless to say, those are essential agencies that all New Yorkers rely on," he said. "But they're also particularly important in terms of providing services and aid to the migrant population, and helping to move things along and remedy the effects of this. "

The report also questions Adams' estimates of the costs associated with the migrant population. The mayor cites nearly $10 billion for the next two years, but Gusdorf points out that $2.5 billion of that has already been budgeted, leaving a total of $6.5 billion remaining for the coming fiscal years. That is significantly less than the $10 billion annually that Adams' across-the-board cuts would bring.

Gusdorf also noted the cost estimates are based on two projections - continued growth in the number of migrants and "a steady cost per household, per night." The budget estimates $380 per household, per night - roughly what it pays now to house families in hotels across the city.

"You would hope to see sort of more innovative, cost-efficient solutions to housing the migrant population, so that it's not necessary to continue paying those nightly hotel rates every day for the next few years," he continued.

Janay Cauthen, executive director of Families for Freedom - a New York City nonprofit that focuses on migrants and immigrants - agrees. She believes the empty buildings across the City - some of which were foreclosed on during the pandemic - would be a good place to start.

"There's at least three big hotels that went out of business because of the pandemic," she explained. "There's beds there, there's TVs there. These people are human beings. They want to work; they want to provide for their families, but they just shuffle them around. And in New York City, people have the right to shelter."


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Immigration advocacy groups are calling on New Yorkers to join them in Foley Square at noon today. It's a National Day of Action to call attention to what they're calling a "cruel" immigration system.

People in roughly a dozen cities across the country are asking the Biden administration to follow through on promises to close immigration detention centers and put an end to deportations. Catherine Barnett, co-director of the New York group Freedom to Thrive, said this will be an opportunity to hear from people who are directly impacted by the immigration system.

"Folks who have been held in detention, families who have loved ones who have been in detention," she said. "There's opportunity to provide for family reunification and mental-health services - for people to be able to participate in a way that they're not able to do when they are being locked away."

In New York, Barnett said, an Assembly bill known as the Dignity Not Detention Act is currently in committee. It is similar to one passed in New Jersey, which led to detention facilities being closed. It would allow for people to wait for the decision on their immigration status without being locked up.

Barnett said there's a lot of misinformation about the immigration system. She added that many people even believe the current process is working.

"Some locations feel like there's an economic benefit to keeping people in cages, because you're providing jobs in particular parts of the state," she said. "We need to think about different ways we can provide economic incentives, economic support for individuals and communities, that are not relying on us expressing the worst of our humanity."

Barnett said her hope for the rally and the National Day of Action is to raise awareness, and move toward creating systems that prioritize the health and well-being of all people.

Organizations that help immigrants find a community, achieve economic self-sufficiency, and become legal residents or citizens say anti-immigrant rhetoric has created a funding challenge. Financial donations are down in Texas - which has bused more than 20,000 migrants to unprepared cities. Lawmakers have considered legislation to create a state border police task force empowered to "repel" and arrest migrants.

Tania Chavez Camacho, executive director, La Unión Del Pueblo Entero, or LUPE, said a lack of funding impacts direct services they can provide.

"We need the funding to be flexible because oftentimes we might need to house families, we might need to feed families, we might need to fly families," she explained.

Nationwide, the funding average for pro-immigrant and pro-refugee groups is $7, compared with $3.50 in Texas, according to the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. Texas immigrants account for 1/6 of the state's total population.

Cairo Mendes is with the group Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. He says philanthropic donations are needed to meet and match public dollars and support the work done for migrants and immigrants by non-traditional groups.

"The small grassroots organizations that just don't have the sort-of infrastructure to be doing the development work day in and day out but are really connected to community and have access to these individuals," Mendes explained.

A "mobile app" created by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency to help schedule immigration court hearings is well-intentioned, Chavez Camacho said, but she noted it is not always practical.

"They are asking people to sign up for an appointment via an app - when they're literally running for their lives - seems not OK. Absolutely not OK," Chavez Camacho continued.

Legal permanent and temporary immigration rose in 2022 after the COVID-19 public-health crisis abated and the Biden administration extended or expanded "Temporary Protected Status" for certain eligible U.S. immigrants.