Immigrant women in the United States are among the groups disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence (IPV). Undocumented immigrants generally have fewer resources for coping with violence and may experience a range of personal, cultural, and immigration status–related barriers to reporting violence and accessing help. Thus, undocumented immigrant victims of IPV could benefit significantly from policies that promote access to trauma-informed services and legal options. This article applies a trauma-informed policy analysis framework to the Violence Against Women Act’s immigration protections to demonstrate how the Act’s U-Visa provisions and implementation practices could be improved by incorporating trauma-informed principles of trustworthiness and transparency, empowerment, choice, safety, collaboration, and intersectionality. © The Author(s) 2018.

U-Visa Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) trauma-informed policy Undocumented immigrants Intimate partner violence

statistics and numerical data factor analysis female Emigration and Immigration Humans Health Policy exposure to violence health care policy Undocumented Immigrants legislation and jurisprudence psychology United States Intimate Partner Violence human partner violence undocumented immigrant migration Factor Analysis, Statistical