By Brian Figeroux, Esq. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provides a pathway for survivors of domestic abuse to apply for immigration relief without relying on their abusive U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) spouse, parent, or child. VAWA allows these individuals to self-petition for a green card if they can demonstrate they were […]
By Esther Claudette Gittens Undocumented women in the United States face unique vulnerabilities that often expose them to exploitation. Among these risks is a pattern of abuse in which sex predators exploit their undocumented status by entering into manipulative marriages, not for love but as a means of control. These predators exploit the woman’s dependence […]
By Esther Claudette Gittens | Editorial credit: Anna Moneymaker / shutterstock.com In July 2019, federal authorities arrested Arleigh Louison, a 53-year-old Brooklyn resident, for orchestrating a massive immigration fraud scheme that exploited the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Operating under the alias “Ali Lou,” Louison submitted over 1,800 fraudulent applications on behalf of more than […]