As a victim of a crime in the U.S., Luis Melean could apply for the U visa, a type of visa given to immigrant victims of certain crimes that presents an opportunity for a faster pathway to citizenship.
That was four years ago, and he’s still waiting. He’s not alone.
NPR spoke to 17 U visa applicants, each of whom have been waiting for two to seven years for their visas. They describe a program whose years-long delays put them in immigration limbo, spending months helping law enforcement catch their perpetrators while trying to survive in the country without the means to work legally.
Full story: Immigration U visa meant to help solve crimes, but backlog leaves immigrants in : NPR