Ins Helps Battered Immigrants

America’s immigration agency Tuesday offered some relief to foreigners living in the United States who suffer domestic violence at the hands of their legally immigrated husbands, wives or parents:

Victims of abuse can now apply for green cards or passports - without the abuser’s sponsorship.

While the policy could apply to husbands and children of abusive women, the authorities said the rule was primarily intended to help women trapped in abusive marriages - either because their husbands have not yet sponsored them for citizenship or because they feared deportation.

“We have cases like that in our office every day,” said Cheryl Little, executive director of Miami’s Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, welcoming the change.

Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner Doris Meissner said at a news conference announcing the change that as many as 400 foreigners - mostly women - would be immediately helped by the provision nationwide.

That means they will be eligible to apply for either green cards or U.S. citizenship without a spouse or parent’s sponsorship.

No hard figures are available on how many foreigners fall victim to domestic violence in America.

But, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics, nearly 30 percent of all female homicide victims in the United States have been killed by their husbands, former husbands or boyfriends.

Before the change, an American citizen or legal immigrant had to act as a formal sponsor of a foreign spouse or child. Now, an applicant can argue that he or she suffers from domestic violence and become a “self-petitioner.”