Supporting Dependant Relatives of Undocumented Immigrants through Psychological Hardship Evaluations

Abstract

The literature on immigration to the United States and its psychological effects upon immigrants and their children is reviewed. Guidelines for psychologist/attorney collaboration to support undocumented immigrants and their qualified relatives are addressed. Psychological evaluation can document rectification of prior negative behaviors, a causal relationship between abuse and psychological diagnosis in support of asylum, and/or a qualified relative's extreme psychological hardship if the noncitizen were to be removed or inadmissible to the United States. It provides support for cancellation of removal and waivers of inadmissibility/excludability. The continued well-being of deserving immigrants, their children, employers, and communities are supported.

Más Allá De Las Barreras: Competency and Practice Considerations in Language, Cultural, and Social Issues When Delivering Group CPT to Hispanic Immigrants

“…Fourth, CPT therapists need to be knowledgeable about and consider legal issues, psychological hardship evaluations, and deportation in order to better understand their clients circumstances and to consider their own ethical and legal responsibilities. And although a review of these issues is outside of the scope of the present paper we do point CPT providers to the following researchers as a starting point for therapists: Allen, Cisneros, and Tellez (2015); Aranda (2016); Cervantes, Mejia, Guerrero Mena (2010); Dettlaff & Finno-Velasquez (2013); Filone (2016); Lewis, Paik, and Tseng (2017); and, Stutman and Brady-Amoon (2011).…”