Federal Court Rules to Protect Immigrant Domestic Violence Survivors From Removal

On May 20, a California federal court ruled in favor of immigrant survivors of domestic violence who had been placed in expedited removal despite pending Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) applications. Human Rights Watch summarized the ruling as a check on Trump-administration policy that sought to revoke long-standing protections for survivors cooperating with law enforcement, and a recognition that survivors should not be deported while their VAWA petitions are pending.