WISE Act
Sponsored By: Representative Jayapal
Introduced
Summary
Removing barriers to immigration status for noncitizen survivors is the bill's central goal. It would expand protections and paths to work authorization for crime and trafficking survivors, reform U visas including eliminating the annual cap, tighten privacy around victim data, and restrict immigration enforcement near hospitals, schools, and other sensitive locations.
Show full summary
- Survivors and families: Would broaden U-visa eligibility to add civil violations and new qualifying crimes such as hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse. It would strike the U-visa numerical cap, offer parole while petitions are pending, and accelerate work authorization with an additional authorization available within 180 days of filing.
- Children, SIJs, and abused derivatives: Would create an abused-derivative relief category that allows admission for at least as long as the principal or at least three years, grants work authorization, and authorizes adjustment to permanent residence under specified humanitarian conditions. It would also remove per-country caps for special immigrant children and allow motions to reopen SIJ cases.
- Enforcement, privacy, and oversight: Would create a presumption of release from detention for many applicants unless clear and convincing evidence supports detention. It would bar enforcement at protected areas within 1,000 feet of places like hospitals and schools except for exigent circumstances and required approvals. It would tighten information-access rules by raising data-protection thresholds from 5,000 to 10,000 and require annual training and detailed agency reporting.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Broader waivers for survivor cases
If enacted, spouses and children of J‑1 visitors, T or U recipients, VAWA self‑petitioners, and SIJ youth could be exempt from the two‑year home rule. Waivers could be granted for humanitarian reasons, family unity, or the public interest. VAWA self‑petitioners would be shielded from some false‑claim inadmissibility findings. Some monetary penalties would not apply to VAWA, T, U, or SIJ applicants. These changes would take effect on enactment and apply retroactively to waivers.
Easier U visas and faster work permits
If enacted, the yearly cap on U visas would be removed. More crimes and related civil violations would count, including hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse. U petitions would be filed with DHS, and DHS could parole petitioners and qualifying family abroad while cases are pending. People who file for T, U, SIJ, or VAWA relief would get work permission by 180 days after filing, or sooner if approved. U work permission would continue while you have temporary U status. Some inadmissibility grounds could be waived for humanitarian or public‑interest reasons.
Fewer detentions for survivor applicants
If enacted, people with pending or approved T, U, SIJ, VAWA, or related cases would be presumed released from detention. DHS would need clear and convincing evidence to keep someone detained, and a pending or dismissed charge could not be the only reason. Removal under reinstatement would be blocked, and no one could be removed until a final denial after appeals.
New help for abused visa dependents
If enacted, spouses or children who came on a dependent visa and were abused by the principal would get new protections. They would get work permits. Their stay could be extended to the longer of the principal’s initial term or three years. They could apply for a green card if not inadmissible, or for humanitarian, family‑unity, or public‑interest reasons. Some family members could also get visas to avoid extreme hardship.
Stronger protections for immigrant children
If enacted, Special Immigrant Juveniles would get visas from worldwide numbers and not face per‑country caps. They could file motions to reopen at any time to apply for a green card, and filing would pause removal while the case is decided. A child who was under 21 when a parent applied would keep child status even if they turn 21 later. Courts would need HHS consent to take custody cases for children in HHS care.
Protected zones and privacy for survivors
If enacted, immigration enforcement would generally be barred within 1,000 feet of hospitals, schools, shelters, and similar places unless there is an emergency and prior approval. Information from T, U, SIJ, VAWA, and related cases could be used only for deciding the case or limited enforcement. Agencies would have 120 days to issue rules and set up appeals. Evidence from a violation could not be used in removal, and people could move to end those cases.
Higher data threshold, fewer privacy rules
If enacted, the cutoff would rise from 5,000 records to 10,000. Fewer datasets would get those protections. People in 5,000–10,000 record groups would lose this safeguard.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Jayapal
WA • D
Cosponsors
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Espaillat
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Panetta
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Ansari
AZ • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Balint
VT • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Carbajal
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Casar
TX • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Castro (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Chu
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Garcia (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Goldman (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Hoyle (OR)
OR • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Khanna
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Liccardo
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
McGovern
MA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Meng
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Moore (WI)
WI • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Morrison
MN • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Omar
MN • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Ramirez
IL • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Scanlon
PA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Smith (WA)
WA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Stansbury
NM • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Thanedar
MI • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Tlaib
MI • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Velazquez
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Wasserman Schultz
FL • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Williams (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Nadler
NY • D
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Vargas
CA • D
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Garcia (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Correa
CA • D
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Latimer
NY • D
Sponsored 5/1/2025
Lee (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 8/29/2025
Salinas
OR • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Pocan
WI • D
Sponsored 3/25/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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