SB0034enr 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0034 Enrolled LRB100 04993 RJF 15003 b

AN ACT concerning government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Voices of Immigrant Communities Empowering Survivors (VOICES) Act.

Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:

"Certification form" means a law enforcement certification form or statement required by federal immigration law certifying that a person is a victim of qualifying criminal activity including, but not limited to, the information required by Section 1184(p) of Title 8 of the United States Code, including current United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-918, Supplement B, or any successor form for purposes of obtaining a U visa or by Section 1184(o) of Title 8 of the United States Code, including current United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-914, Supplement B, or any successor form for purposes of obtaining a T visa.

"Certifying agency" means a State or local law enforcement agency, prosecutor, or other public authority that has responsibility for the investigation or prosecution of a qualifying crime or criminal activity, including an agency that has criminal investigative jurisdiction in its respective areas of expertise, but not including any State court.

"Qualifying criminal activity" means any activity, regardless of the stage of detection, investigation, or prosecution, designated in Section 1101(a)(15)(U)(iii) of Title 8 of the United States Code, any implementing federal regulations, supplementary information, guidance, and instructions.

"Victim of qualifying criminal activity" means a person described in Section 1101(a)(15)(U)(i)(I) of Title 8 of the United States Code, in the definition of "victim of a severe form of trafficking" in Section 7102(14) of Title 22 of the United States Code, or in any implementing federal regulations, supplementary information, guidance, and instructions.

Section 10. Certifications for victims of qualifying criminal activity.

(a) The head of each certifying agency shall designate an official or officials in supervisory roles, either within the agency or, by agreement with another agency with concurrent jurisdiction over the geographic area or subject matter covered by that agency, within that other agency. Designated officials may not be members of a collective bargaining unit represented by a labor organization, unless the official is an attorney or is employed in an agency in which all supervisory officials are members of a collective bargaining unit. Certifying officials shall:

(1) respond to requests for completion of certification forms received by the agency, as required by this Section; and

(2) make information regarding the agency's procedures for certification requests publicly available for victims of qualifying criminal activity and their representatives.

(b) Any person seeking completion of a certification form shall first submit a request for completion of the certification form to the certifying official for any certifying agency that detected, investigated, or prosecuted the criminal activity upon which the request is based.

(c) A request for completion of a certification form under this Section may be submitted by a representative of the person seeking the certification form, including, but not limited to, an attorney, accredited representative, or domestic violence or sexual assault services provider.

(d) Upon receiving a request for completion of a certification form, a certifying official shall complete the certification form for any victim of qualifying criminal activity. If the certifying official cannot determine that the applicant is a victim of qualifying criminal activity, the certifying official may provide written notice to the person or the person's representative explaining why the available evidence does not support a finding that the person is a victim of qualifying criminal activity. The certifying official shall complete the certification form and provide it to the person within 90 business days of receiving the request, except:

(1) if the person making the request for completion of the certification form is in federal immigration removal proceedings or detained, the certifying official shall complete and provide the certification form to the person no later than 21 business days after the request is received by the certifying agency;

(2) if the children, parents, or siblings of the person making the request for completion of the certification form would become ineligible for benefits under Sections 1184(p) and 1184(o) of Title 8 of the United States Code by virtue of the person's children having reached the age of 21 years, the person having reached the age of 21 years, or the person's sibling having reached the age of 18 years within 90 business days from the date that the certifying official receives the certification request, the certifying official shall complete and provide the certification form to the person no later than 21 business days after the request is received by the certifying agency;

(3) if the person's children, parents, or siblings under paragraph (2) of this subsection (d) would become ineligible for benefits under Sections 1184(p) and 1184(o) of Title 8 of the United States Code in less than 21 business days of receipt of the certification request, the certifying official shall complete and provide a certification form to the person within 5 business days; or

(4) a certifying official may extend the time period by which it must complete and provide the certification form to the person as required under this subsection (d) only upon written agreement with the person or person's representative.

Requests for expedited completion of a certification form under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection (d) shall be affirmatively raised by the person or that person's representative in writing to the certifying agency and shall establish that the person is eligible for expedited review.

(e) A certifying official who issued an initial certification form shall complete and reissue a certification form within 90 business days of receiving a request from a victim to reissue. If the victim seeking recertification has a deadline to respond to a request for evidence from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the certifying official shall complete and issue the form no later than 21 business days after the request is received by the certifying official. Requests for expedited recertification shall be affirmatively raised by the victim or victim's representative in writing and shall establish that the victim is eligible for expedited review. A certifying official may extend the deadline by which he or she will complete and reissue the certification form only upon written agreement with the victim or victim's representative.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, a certifying official's completion of a certification form shall not be considered sufficient evidence that an applicant for a U or T visa has met all eligibility requirements for that visa and completion of a certification form by a certifying official shall not be construed to guarantee that the victim will receive federal immigration relief. It is the exclusive responsibility of federal immigration officials to determine whether a person is eligible for a U or T visa. Completion of a certification form by a certifying official merely verifies factual information relevant to the federal immigration benefit sought, including information relevant for federal immigration officials to determine eligibility for a U or T visa. By completing a certification form, the certifying official attests that the information is true and correct to the best of the certifying official's knowledge. No provision in this Act limits the manner in which a certifying officer or certifying agency may describe whether the person has cooperated or been helpful to the agency or provide any additional information the certifying officer or certifying agency believes might be relevant to a federal immigration officer's adjudication of a U or T visa application. If, after completion of a certification form, the certifying official later determines the person was not the victim of qualifying criminal activity or the victim unreasonably refuses to assist in the investigation or prosecution of the qualifying criminal activity of which he or she is a victim, the certifying official may notify United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in writing.

(g) A certifying official or agency receiving requests for completion of certification forms shall not disclose the immigration status of a victim or person requesting the certification form, except to comply with federal law or State law, legal process, or if authorized, by the victim or person requesting the certification form.

Section 15. Immunity. A certifying agency or certifying official acting or failing to act in good faith in compliance with this Act shall have immunity from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise occur as a result of so acting or failing to act, with the exception of willful or wanton misconduct. Any action brought to seek enforcement of this Act shall be ineligible to seek attorney's fees and costs, unless the action demonstrates willful or wanton misconduct by a certifying agency or certifying official.