Brownley, Democratic Women’s Caucus Colleagues Urge DHS to Reinstate Protections for Immigrant Survivors Immediately

Washington, DC - Today, Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) member Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26), DWC Executive Steering Committee member Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06), DWC member Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04), and 32 DWC colleagues sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin urging him to immediately reinstate protections to help immigrant survivors escape abuse, stay safe, and seek justice without fear of deportation. This letter follows consistent abuse of immigrant survivors at the hands of ICE, including a harrowing report about a mother of two who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents after testifying against her ex-boyfriend for choking her until she lost consciousness then raping her. In the letter, the members also requested a meeting with Secretary Mullin to further discuss the importance of protecting survivors.

In the letter, the members explain that the Trump administration's policies are continuing to put immigrant survivors at risk, despite demands from DWC that DHS act to protect them. The letter highlights multiple cases where ICE detained women after they sought help after abuse. This has created a chilling effect that prevents immigrant survivors from reporting violence, accessing health care, or seeking supportive services.

In the letter, DWC members explain that immigrant women are especially vulnerable to intimate partner violence because abusers often exploit survivors' immigration status to maintain control and prevent them from seeking help:

"Immigrant women are especially vulnerable to intimate partner violence-experiencing intimate partner violence at a rate of 49%, which is three times the national average. This is in part because abusers can use survivors' immigration status, to wield control, manipulating survivors not to report the abuse. In 2025, 75.6% of advocates reported that the immigrant survivors they help have concerns about contacting the police; 70.3% reported that immigrant survivors are concerned about going to court for a matter related to their abuser; and 50% reported that immigrant survivors chose not to report their abuser out of fear. The lack of reporting also means that abusers remain in our communities- making all of us less safe."

The members also highlight that the Trump administration has weakened longstanding protections for immigrant survivors of domestic violence from the Violence Against Women Act:

"In December 2025, USCIS published updates to its Policy Manual that significantly weakened longstanding protections for immigrant survivors of domestic violence under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The new narrow the definitions of 'battery and extreme cruelty,' raise evidentiary burdens through a stricter interpretation of the 'any credible evidence' standard, and impose new good moral character guidelines that ignore the realities survivors face-including trauma's effect on memory, abusers' control over documents, and language and cultural barriers. These changes reward abusers by making it harder for survivors to self-petition for relief which goes against the intent of VAWA. Without protections in place for survivors to report violence coupled with stories about enforcement actions at courthouses and other sensitive locations, immigrant survivors are left with no safe avenues to report their abuse."

DWC members close the letter by calling on DHS to change policies that are protecting perpetrators:

"Your Department must re-evaluate their policies to ensure that immigrant women survivors of intimate partner violence and other crimes can seek safety without fear. Your Department is punishing victims rather than perpetrators, which contradicts your Department and the President's stated priority to keep our communities safe and get violent offenders off our streets. Your policies are instead protecting violent offenders, leaving many women vulnerable, scared, with their safety at real risk. Effective enforcement depends on survivors being able to safely report crime. Congress created survivor-based protections to support law enforcement and] improve public safety. A victim-centered approach strengthens enforcement, increases accountability, and makes us all safer. The Democratic Women's Caucus stands with all survivors, and we implore your Department to undo these dangerous immigration policies and restore protections that allow survivors to escape abuse and receive the resources they need to heal. They deserve to find support without the looming threat of deportation. As you assume your new position, we would like to request a meeting with you to discuss this issue further. We look forward to your timely response."

Read the full letter here.

In addition to Brownley and letter leads Debbie Dingell and Gwen Moore, the letter was signed by Yassamin Ansari, Nanette Barragán, Joyce Beatty, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Jasmine Crockett, Lois Frankel, Sylvia Garcia, Adelita Grijalva, Pramila Jayapal, Julie Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Summer Lee, Teresa Leger Fernández, Sarah McBride, Betty McCollum, LaMonica McIver, Kelly Morrison, Brittany Pettersen, Delia Ramirez, Luz Rivas, Deborah Ross, Andrea Salinas, Lateefah Simon, Haley Stevens, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Nikema Williams, and Frederica Wilson.

This is a follow up to the Democratic Women's Caucus's January letter calling on DHS to reinstate protections for immigrant survivors with pending T and U visa applications. This letter is part of DWC's ongoing efforts to call out DHS on how their policies harm women, including at a hearing entitled: "The Assault of Women By Trump's ICE & CBP" and in several oversight letters (see here, here, and here).

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Issues: 119th Congress, Immigration