This bill expands the eligibility for U visas, which are for victims of certain crimes who assist with the investigation or prosecution of the crime. It adds hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse as qualifying crimes, and requires work authorization to be provided to U visa applicants. The bill also eliminates the annual cap on U visas and establishes a presumption against detaining U visa and T visa (human trafficking) applicants while their applications are pending.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill expands the eligibility for U visas, which are for victims of certain crimes who assist with the investigation or prosecution of the crime. It adds hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse as qualifying crimes, and requires work authorization to be provided to U visa applicants. The bill also eliminates the annual cap on U visas and establishes a presumption against detaining U visa and T visa (human trafficking) applicants while their applications are pending.
Last updated: 12/30/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Working for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment Act of 2023 or the WISE Act of 2023</strong></p><p>This bill expands eligibility for U nonimmigrant visas (victims of criminal activity) and addresses related issues.</p><p>Generally, U visas are for victims of specified crimes (e.g., rape, trafficking, or domestic violence) who assist with the investigation or prosecution of the crime. The bill adds hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse as crimes that may qualify a victim for a U visa. </p><p>Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must provide work authorization to U visa applicants, whereas currently DHS may grant work authorization but is not required to do so.</p><p>The bill also eliminates the annual numerical cap on U visas. </p><p>The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that certain individuals, including U visa applicants and T visa (victims of human trafficking) applicants, shall not be detained while the application is pending. </p><p>Additionally, the bill provides immigration-related protections, such as by extending the admission period and providing work authorization, to the spouse or child of a nonimmigrant visa holder who subjected that spouse or child to battery or extreme cruelty.</p><p>Further, the bill prohibits, with some exceptions for exigent circumstances, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection from conducting immigration enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of a school, health care facility, place of worship, or other location specified in the bill.</p><!--tinycomments|2.1|data:application/json;base64,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-->
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Expands crimes that qualify for U visas to include hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse
Requires work authorization to be provided to U visa applicants, rather than just allowing it
Eliminates the annual cap on the number of U visas that can be issued
Establishes a presumption against detaining U visa and T visa applicants while their applications are pending
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill would primarily benefit immigrant victims of certain crimes, by making it easier for them to obtain legal status and work authorization. It could encourage more victims to come forward and assist law enforcement, which could lead to more prosecutions of these crimes. It would also protect these vulnerable immigrants from detention while their visa applications are processed.
