Last month, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar certified a group of migrants as crime victims. Such people can obtain special visas, known as U-visas, that allow them to serve as witnesses to criminal cases. The ACLU of Massachusetts is representing nine of the migrants.
The migrants had entered the United States in search of asylum. They were residing in shelters at the Migrant Resource Center in San Antonio when a woman named Perla approached them and falsely promised jobs, housing and education. She also arranged for them to stay in hotels in San Antonio before their flights and gave them McDonald’s gift certificates. They were told they were going to a variety of destinations, but no one expected to arrive on Martha’s Vineyard.
Notarizing the migrants’ documents makes them eligible for a US green card or visa. Once the migrants have completed the process, they will be eligible to apply for a U-visa, which will eventually lead to a green card. The Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar has also certified dozens of migrants as crime victims.
The U-visa is an immigration document that protects people from deportation. It is a legal document that is valid for four years. The U-visa was originally intended for victims or witnesses of crimes.
