TCVAP is State-funded assistance that provides critical support, benefits, and services to noncitizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes who are not eligible for federally-funded benefits and services.
Background
Prior to October 2000, there were no comprehensive federal laws to protect noncitizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes. In October 2000, the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 created the following two new noncitizen visas to allow them to remain in the United States (U.S.):
As a result, only trafficking victims certified by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) were eligible to receive federal benefits.
In 2006, Senate Bill (SB) 1569 established human trafficking as a crime in California, and in 2007, SB 1569 was enacted and established TCVAP which extended eligibility for State-funded benefits to noncitizen trafficking victims who are not certified by ORR and to victims of domestic violence and other serious crimes.
Definition
Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. Federal law defines "severe forms of trafficking in persons" to mean:
Victims of domestic violence and other serious crimes are individuals who have suffered substantial physical and/or mental abuse as a result of having been victims of criminal activity involving, or similar to, the following violations: rape, torture, incest, domestic violence, sexual assault, and numerous other felonies.
Services and Eligibility
Noncitizen victims of trafficking and victims of domestic violence and other serious crimes are eligible to TCVAP benefits and services equivalent to those available to refugees, including (but not limited to) the following which are State-funded programs: TCVAP CalWORKs, TCVAP Cash Assistance equivalent to the Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) program, California Food Assistance Program, Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), In-Home Supportive Services, Medi-Cal, employment services and/or supportive services through Welfare-to-Work (WtW). Although not mandated by law, Los Angeles County has agreed to extend General Relief benefits to individuals with a T or U Visa.
Potential eligibility for this population is dependent upon the applicant establishing their claim as a victim of trafficking (T Visa) or domestic violence and/or other serious crimes (U Visa). The applicant must have applied for a T or U Visa or is taking steps to apply for a T Visa.
T and U Visa applicants with children are eligible to receive 60 months of State-funded CalWORKs benefits. T and U Visa single adults are eligible to receive 4 months of State-funded TCVAP Cash Assistance benefits. Once the adult trafficking victim has been certified by ORR, the individual is eligible to receive 4 months of federally-funded RCA; this is not applicable for U Visa applicants.
Note: Effective May 5, 2025, TCVAP Cash Assistance was reduced from 12 months to 4 months. Those who become eligible on or after May 5, 2025, are subject to the new 4-month eligibility period, while those who became eligible prior to May 5, 2025, will remain eligible under the 12-month eligibility period.
T and U Visa holders are eligible to General Relief once CalWORKs or RCA benefits have been exhausted.
Once TCVAP CalWORKs/TCVAP Cash Assistance benefits are approved for the T or U Visa applicant, the participant is referred to GAIN for WtW/Refugee Employment Program (REP) services
Quick Policy Facts
Note: Effective May 5, 2025, TCVAP Cash Assistance was reduced from 12 months to 4 months. Those who become eligible on or after May 5, 2025, are subject to the new 4-month eligibility period, while those who became eligible prior to May 5, 2025, will remain eligible under the 12-month eligibility period.
How to Apply
An application may be submitted for cash assistance via: