The U visa is a United States nonimmigrant visa which is set aside for victims of crimes (and their immediate family members) who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse while in the U.S. and who are willing to assist law enforcement and government officials in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity.
An advantage that comes along with the acceptance of a U-visa is the individual will have deportation protection which is important when they are collaborating with law enforcement.
The government entities which are considered "certifying agencies" for the purpose of a U visa application include federal, state or local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and judges, as well as child protective services, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Department of Labor.
[11] Abuse of the U-visa often occurs when immigrant applicants stage crimes in order to obtain eligibility.
The report surveyed 57 law enforcement agencies across the United States and concluded that the U-visa program is not helpful for solving crimes, with 61% of respondents stating that the U-visa program did not significantly improve their ability to investigate and solve crimes.
[16] The CAPI program is fully funded by the state and aims to offer regular monetary assistance to non-citizen individuals who are aged, blind, or disabled and cannot receive SSI/SSP benefits because of their immigration status.