Immigration raids and new federal restrictions have fueled a climate of fear that silences immigrant survivors of domestic violence. Experts and advocates warn that rollbacks in humanitarian visas, asylum, and funding threaten not only the safety of survivors but also that of entire communities.

The consequences of U.S. immigration policies continue to put vulnerable populations at risk. Today, immigrant survivors of domestic violence face stricter requirements and procedures when seeking justice. The climate of fear is only growing as immigration raids become more frequent in Los Angeles.

In a briefing held by American Community Media (ACoM), experts discussed the impact of immigration raids on domestic violence cases among immigrants. Panelists also examined the current situation in California and proposed possible alternatives for migrants facing such challenges.

Fear and Silence in Los Angeles

Carmen McDonald, Executive Director of the Survivor Justice Center, warned that the rise in raids across the state has fueled a sense of fear, insecurity, and abandonment among domestic violence survivors. “When the raids began, fear spread beyond those directly affected—it also reached survivors and silenced them,” she revealed.

McDonald noted that 70% of her clients are immigrants, and she has witnessed firsthand the widespread and paralyzing fear in the community. That fear has translated into a sharp drop in reporting: complaints in Los Angeles have fallen by one-third. Reports of discrimination and hate crimes have also dropped by one-third. “It wasn’t because there were fewer incidents—it was because people were too afraid to report,” she explained.

The impact has extended to basic services: some clients have canceled restraining orders, skipped critical medical appointments, or chosen to remain silent in the face of workplace abuse.

Another major consequence of this climate of fear is the decline in school enrollment. “What is most disheartening is that we’ve spent years educating survivors about their rights, encouraging them to speak without fear—and now that fear has returned,” McDonald said.

She also raised concerns about those protected under the VAWA program, which allows victims of abuse to apply for permanent residency. “Survivors are being silenced while abusers walk free. When immigrants are too afraid to call the police, we are all less safe,” she emphasized.

Closing her remarks, McDonald called on the press and the public to keep raising awareness: “This is not just a humanitarian crisis—it’s a public safety crisis. When immigrants are too afraid to call the police, we are all less safe because abusers remain free.”

Legal Protections Under Threat

Morgan Weibel, Director of Client Advocacy and Legal Services, Tahirih Justice Center, highlighted that survivors of domestic violence face increasing barriers in accessing humanitarian visas and asylum. “What we’re seeing now is that VAWA applicants—even with approved petitions—can still be detained and deported.”

She explained that denials in VAWA or U visa applications now automatically trigger deportation proceedings, heightening the risks for survivors.

On gender-based asylum, Waybo noted that recent Department of Justice decisions have rolled back years of progress: “Geography should not determine a victim’s fate, but these are life-or-death decisions. Many will be deported to countries where they face femicide or homicide.”

During the conference, Juana Padilla, a Mexican immigrant who obtained residency after a five-year VAWA process, shared her testimony. She revealed the difficulties many women face when reporting abuse: “At first I would call the police, but when my husband—who was in the military—put his uniform on the table, they would just say ‘everything is fine’ and leave without making a report.”

Padilla stressed that the legal and social support she received was critical: “I was terrified of being sent back to Mexico, but thanks to the center and my lawyer, I was able to secure my status. Now my children and I have a future here.”


The Role of Community Support

For Patima Komolamit, Executive Director of the Center for the Pacific Asian Family,  the intersection of immigration and domestic violence is neither new nor unfamiliar: “We have been working with immigrant survivors for 47 years, and we know that without shelter, advocacy, and legal support, they and their children are left exposed to coercion, threats of deportation, and lethal violence.”

Komolamit explained that language barriers, the lack of U.S. work history, and the manipulation of immigration status function as mechanisms of oppression and abuse. “Unfortunately, women in these conditions face greater vulnerability,” she said.

Providing services such as shelter, comprehensive defense, and accompaniment is critical to addressing the problem. Yet, nonprofit organizations serving survivors of gender-based violence are often excluded from government funding priorities, leaving them vulnerable to constant budget cuts.

“This year, the situation has worsened with new restrictions that directly affect programs which, for decades, have sustained survivor support organizations,” she warned.

According to Komolamit, these measures stem from Trump administration executive orders aimed at framing domestic violence strictly as a criminal issue rather than as one rooted in gender roles and social norms.