I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4817 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the annual 
numerical limitation on visas for certain immigrants, to require the 
Secretary of Homeland Security to grant work authorization to certain 
immigrants with a pending application for nonimmigrant status under 
such Act, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2025 
Mr. PANETTA (for himself and Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate 
the annual numerical limitation on visas for certain im-
migrants, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security 
to grant work authorization to certain immigrants with 
a pending application for nonimmigrant status under 
such Act, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Immigrant Witness 
and Victim Protection Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. PURPOSE; FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to remove 
barriers for alien survivors of domestic violence, sexual as-
sault, human trafficking, and other crimes who may be 
eligible for protections under the Violence Against Women 
Act of 1994 (VAWA), the Trafficking Victims Protection 
Act of 2000 (TVPA), and their subsequent reauthoriza-
tions. 
(b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Threats of deportation are one of the most 
potent tools abusers and perpetrators of crime use 
to maintain control over and silence alien victims 
and to avoid criminal prosecution. Abusers and per-
petrators leverage the immigration system in the 
abuse and exploitation of aliens they victimize. 
(2) A bipartisan majority in Congress created 
critical immigration protections in VAWA, TVPA 
and their subsequent reauthorizations in recognition 
that alien survivors of domestic violence, sexual as-
sault, human trafficking, and other eligible crimes 
often fear that reaching out for help may lead to 
their deportation. 
(3) Detention and removal of those with victim- 
based cases undermines the intent of VAWA, TVPA, 
and their subsequent reuauthorizations and re- 
traumatizes victims and their children. Deporting 
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survivors while they await decisions on their cases 
discourages victims from accessing justice, under-
mines the usefulness of these forms of relief as tools 
for law enforcement that seek to keep all commu-
nities safe, separates them from their children and 
support networks, and eliminates the ability of local 
law enforcement to continue protecting and working 
with such crime survivors. 
(4) Lack of timely access to employment au-
thorization makes victims more vulnerable and may 
lead to their need to endure or return to abusive re-
lationships or exploitative conditions. Crime and 
abuse survivors should have access to work author-
ization to escape abusive situations, and gain self- 
sufficiency following victimization so they can sup-
port themselves and their families. 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Secretary of Homeland Security should not 
deport crime victims or neglected, abused, or abandoned 
youth before their applications for humanitarian relief are 
fully adjudicated, as it undermines critical bipartisan pro-
tections created in VAWA, TVPA, and their subsequent 
reauthorizations. 
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SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF ANNUAL NUMERICAL LIMITATION 
ON U VISAS. 
Section 214(p) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(p)) is amended by striking paragraph 
(2). 
SEC. 4. ELIMINATION OF ANNUAL NUMERICAL LIMITATION 
ON SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE VISAS. 
(a) ALIENS NOT SUBJECT TO DIRECT NUMERICAL 
LIMITATIONS.—Section 201(b)(1)(A) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(1)(A)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘subparagraph (A) or (B)’’ and inserting 
‘‘subparagraphs (A), (B), or (J)’’. 
(b) PER COUNTRY LEVELS.—Section 202(a)(2) of 
the 
Immigration 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1152(a)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘(5),’’ and inserting 
‘‘(5), and except for special immigrants described in sub-
paragraph (J) of section 1101(a)(27) of this title,’’. 
(c) 
CERTAIN
SPECIAL
IMMIGRANTS.—Section 
203(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1153(b)(4)) is amended by striking ‘‘subparagraph 
(A) or (B)’’ and inserting ‘‘subparagraphs (A), (B), or 
(J)’’. 
SEC. 5. WORK AUTHORIZATION WHILE APPLICATIONS AND 
PETITIONS ARE PENDING. 
(a) U VISAS.—Section 214(p) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(p)) is amended— 
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(1) in paragraph (6), by striking the last sen-
tence; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) WORK AUTHORIZATION.—Notwithstanding 
any provision of this Act granting eligibility for em-
ployment in the United States, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall grant employment author-
ization to an alien who has filed an application for 
nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(U) 
on the date that is the earlier of— 
‘‘(A) the date on which the alien’s applica-
tion for such status is approved; or 
‘‘(B) a date determined by the Secretary 
that is not later than 180 days after the date 
on which the alien filed the application.’’. 
(b) T VISAS.—Section 214(o) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(o)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act grant-
ing eligibility for employment in the United States, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall grant employment 
authorization to an alien who has filed a petition for non-
immigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(T) on the date 
that is the earlier of— 
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‘‘(A) the date on which the alien’s petition for 
such status is approved; or 
‘‘(B) a date determined by the Secretary that 
is not later than 180 days after the date on which 
the alien filed the petition.’’. 
(c) 
VAWA 
SELF-PETITIONERS.—Section 
204(a)(1)(K) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1154(a)(1)(K)) is amended to read: 
‘‘(K) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act re-
stricting eligibility for employment in the United States, 
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall grant employ-
ment authorization to such an alien in the United States 
on the date that is the earlier of— 
‘‘(i) the date on which the alien’s petition as a 
VAWA self-petitioner is approved; or 
‘‘(ii) a date determined by the Secretary that is 
not later than 180 days after the date on which the 
alien filed the petition as a VAWA self-petitioner.’’. 
(d) SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILES.—Section 245 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(o) WORK AUTHORIZATION FOR CERTAIN SPECIAL 
IMMIGRANTS.—Notwithstanding any provision of this Act 
granting eligibility for employment in the United States, 
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall grant employ-
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ment authorization to an alien who has filed a petition 
for special immigrant status under section 101(a)(27)(J) 
on the date that is the earlier of— 
‘‘(1) the date on which the alien’s petition for 
such status is approved; or 
‘‘(2) a date determined by the Secretary that is 
not later than 180 days after the date on which the 
alien filed the petition.’’. 
(e) 
CANCELLATION
OF
REMOVAL.—Section 
240A(b)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1229b(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(E) WORK
AUTHORIZATION.—Notwith-
standing any provision of this Act granting eli-
gibility for employment in the United States, 
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall grant 
employment authorization to an alien who has 
filed an application for cancellation of removal 
under this paragraph on a date that is not later 
than 180 days after the date on which the alien 
filed the application.’’. 
SEC. 6. STAY OF REMOVAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—An alien described in subsection 
(b) shall not be removed from the United States under 
section 240 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
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U.S.C. 1229a) or any other provision of law until there 
is a final denial of the alien’s application for status after 
the exhaustion of administrative and judicial review. 
(b) ALIENS DESCRIBED.—An alien is described in 
this subsection if the alien— 
(1) has a pending or approved application or 
petition 
under 
section 
101(a)(15)(T), 
101(a)(15)(U), 101(a)(27)(J), 106, 240A(b)(2), or 
244(a)(3) (as in effect on March 31, 1997) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101, 
1229a, 1254a); or 
(2) is a VAWA self-petitioner, as defined in sec-
tion 101(a)(51) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act, with a pending application for relief under a 
provision referred to in one of subparagraphs (A) 
through (G) of such section. 
SEC. 7. PROHIBITION ON DETENTION OF CERTAIN VICTIMS 
WITH PENDING OR APPROVED PETITION OR 
APPLICATION. 
Section 236 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1226) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(f) PROHIBITION ON DETENTION OF CERTAIN VIC-
TIMS WITH PENDING OR APPROVED PETITIONS AND AP-
PLICATIONS.— 
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