Created in 2000, the "U'' visa program was on hold until rules for its implementation were adopted in 2007. Now the government is approving thousands of requests.
Records from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service show that 4,400 visas were issued this fiscal year — up from just 52 last year.
The effort is consistent with the new priorities of federal immigration agencies under the Obama administration.
"It's certainly a sea change," said Mary Giovagnoli, director of the Immigration Policy Center in Washington. "The sensitivity toward people who through no fault of their own are in dire straights is enhanced now."
About 13,000 applications are still pending. Half of those are awaiting more information from the applicant, and half are in a backlog that immigration officials are pushing to resolve.
