Protections for U Visa, T Visa, and VAWA Survivors (ICWC v. Noem)

Status: Blocked by court — Immigration Center for Women and Children v. Noem (C.D. Cal. No. 2:25-cv-09848-AB-AS; 9th Cir. No. 26-3961)

On May 20, 2026, the district court certified three classes of survivors and granted, in part, a preliminary injunction. It stayed ICE's January 30, 2025 "Interim Guidance" (Policy No. 11005.4) and a related "de facto revocation" practice as applied to class members, and barred removing certain plaintiffs without a prima facie eligibility determination. The injunction is in effect. The government filed a notice of appeal on June 19, 2026 (Ninth Circuit No. 26-3961); an appeal does not by itself pause the injunction.

Next step: Ninth Circuit review of the class-certification and preliminary-injunction orders (No. 26-3961); briefing is underway. The injunction remains in effect unless a court stays it.

Verified against the primary source as of 2026-07-25 — status can change with a single court ruling. Official source.

What’s happening

On May 20, 2026, the district court certified three classes of survivors and granted, in part, a preliminary injunction. It stayed ICE’s January 30, 2025 “Interim Guidance” (Policy No. 11005.4) and a related “de facto revocation” practice as applied to class members, and barred removing certain plaintiffs without a prima facie eligibility determination. The injunction is in effect. The government filed a notice of appeal on June 19, 2026 (Ninth Circuit No. 26-3961); an appeal does not by itself pause the injunction.

Who it affects

Survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and certain other crimes who have a pending VAWA self-petition, U visa petition, or T visa petition. The order limits how ICE may detain or remove members of the certified classes under the January 2025 policy while their petitions are pending. This is general information about a court case, not legal advice; the relief is preliminary and under appeal.

How it got here

  1. Oct 14, 2025 Complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
  2. Feb 10, 2026 The court heard oral argument on the class-certification and preliminary-injunction motions.
  3. May 20, 2026 District court certified three classes of survivors and granted the preliminary injunction in part, staying ICE's January 30, 2025 guidance as applied to class members.
  4. Jun 19, 2026 The government filed a notice of appeal to the Ninth Circuit (No. 26-3961).

What to watch next

Ninth Circuit review of the class-certification and preliminary-injunction orders (No. 26-3961); briefing is underway. The injunction remains in effect unless a court stays it.

Official sources

This page is general information about ongoing litigation, not legal advice. A case’s status can change with a single ruling, and outcomes can turn on facts specific to each person. For advice on a specific situation, consult a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative.