A person can qualify for a U visa if they have been the victim of certain, generally felony-level, crimes. They must cooperate in the investigation and/or prosecution of the crime. The victim must also have suffered significant harm because of the crime.
Congress created U visas in 2000 through the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act. Congress established a pool of 10,000 U visas each year. Notably, family members of U visa applicants do not count toward the 10,000-visa limit. The quantity of U visa applicants has exploded, especially since 2013, as more people...