READING, Pa. — A few days ago, immigration advocates took their concerns directly to Reading City Council, saying they want the city to change how it handles U visa certifications.
“Three U visas have been approved by the Reading PD in the past eight years, and I sometimes see more than three U visas in a month. That is just such a woefully small number,” said Samuel Grimsley, an immigration attorney with the Community Justice Project.
So, what exactly is a U visa? Here’s the simple version.
“A U visa is an immigration pathway, a type of visa that at its most basic is for immigrants or people in this country who do not already have legal status and who are victims of crimes,” Grimsley said.
If a victim helps police investigate a qualifying crime, law enforcement can certify that cooperation.
“Law enforcement, it’s a very clear sign-off. It verifies that the individual applying for the visa did cooperate and did provide information that led to an arrest,” said Jack Gombach, managing director for the City of Reading.
But that’s only one step in a much longer process. The certification becomes part of the U visa application, which ultimately goes to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for a decision.
This part, however, is important. The city of Reading does not decide who gets a U visa.
“It’s not the city. It’s not the county. This is a federal law. It’s a federal process,” Gombach said.
That’s where the disagreement comes in.
Advocates say Reading needs clear standards for deciding when police will sign that certification, instead of leaving so much discretion to whoever is in charge.
“They wanted a more consistent process. So, it doesn’t really matter who the chief of police is, who the district attorney is. These applications are reviewed the same. It’s the same standards and same protocols,” Gombach said.
Now, the city says it agrees.
“We need to make sure that this is a process that doesn’t matter who’s in office. It’s fair, it’s consistent, and it’s something that everybody can understand,” Gombach said.
The city is now considering internal policy changes and possible action by City Council.