Leaving an abusive marriage can be difficult and dangerous for many reasons. At Her Justice, we also know that in this moment — when long-standing immigration protections are being gutted and due process routinely denied — a particular kind of danger looms larger than ever for survivors of domestic violence and trafficking.
In a recent interview with CBS News, one Her Justice client shares how leaving her abusive husband brought her face-to-face with the threat of deportation — when her husband, a U.S. citizen, tried to weaponize her temporary legal status against her. Immigration Practice Director Esther Limb explains how abusers exploit immigration status to exert power and control — and how we’re seeing a rise in this type of threat, fueled by anti-immigrant rhetoric and enforcement practices.