For the first time a city agency is helping undocumented immigrants who are crime victims to apply for special visas that prevent their deportation so they can assist the police, as NY1's Tara Lynn Wagner reports.

Walter Barrientos vividly remembers the night two men jumped him on the street.

"There were a couple of gang members that attacked me and assaulted me and tried to steal from me," Barrientos said.

An undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, he feared testifying in court — until he heard a lawyer talk about something called U visas and realized he might qualify. 

"Knowing that I was able to get a work permit and be able to work and also apply for other health insurance, it helped me deal and it helped with the stress I was dealing with at the time," he said.

U visas — which are issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — are given to undocumented immigrants who are crime victims and are willing to work with the police.   

"They are hesitant about coming forward because of their status," said Carmelyn Malialis. "So we are providing yet another alternative for them to come forward, report these crimes and essentially making the city safer."

Malalis is the New York City Human Rights Commissioner. This week, her agency began accepting requests for U visas as well as T visas, which are granted to undocumented immigrants who are victims of human trafficking.

She says her agency is able to identify victims of some of the qualifying crimes because of its work enforcing city human rights laws.

"Crimes like rape, sexual assault, you know, witness tampering, extortion," Malalis said. 

Keep in mind the city does not issue the U and T visas.  That's done at the federal level.  What the Commission can do now is issue a certification, which is an important first step.

"Certification is only to verify that the person was the victim of a qualifying crime and they've collaborated with the agency — here, the NYC Commission on Human Rights — in investigating that crime," said Kendal Nystedt, with Make the Road New York. "There are other requirement to get the benefit from immigration." 

Crime victims who may qualify for one of the special visas are urged to call 311 and ask for the Human Rights Commission.