Visa Program Offers Crime Victims Legal Status

By Sarah Gustavus

January 14, 2011 – Immigration is a controversial issue. As politicians wrangle over national policies, a little known program called the U Visa is giving some undocumented people a chance to start a new life in the US. But, there's a catch.

The U Visa is only available for victims of violent crimes and they have to take the risk of reporting those crimes first before they are eligible for the program.

Many of the applicants in New Mexico are women who have been abused by their husbands or boyfriends.