Mt. Vernon, VA – Today the Virginia House of Delegates passed Senator Scott Surovell’s legislation to aid resettlement of immigrants who cooperate with criminal investigations by vote of 80-19. SB 1468 has now passed out of the Senate and House of Delegates and awaits Governor Ralph Northam’s signature to become law.
SB 1468 establishes a reliable process for offering certification forms for undocumented immigrants certifying that they were a victim of qualifying criminal activity, as required by federal immigration law. Currently, Virginia lacks a clear way for victims to obtain the necessary certification forms to send to Immigrations Customs and Enforcement in order to then receive a T Visa or U Visa, which are provided to victims of crimes on the condition that they cooperate with the accompanying criminal investigation. The Legal Aid Justice Center and other advocates supported the bill.
“The bill will incentivize people to cooperate in criminal investigations because it gives them a guaranteed process they can follow and some certainty in the process. This will encourage people to help solve crimes,” Surovell said.
Beginning July 1, SB 1468 requires police and sheriff departments to designate an individual to receive any applications for the certifications and sets a 120 day time frame in which they must respond, as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a six-month maximum for the entire process. If the police or sheriff department denies the certification application, they must state in writing the reason for the denial. Additionally, SB 1468 creates an expedited 30-day appeal process through the Virginia Circuit Courts in the case of a dispute about an application denial.
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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents parts of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford Counties since 2015. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon with his wife and four children. He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.