Immigration Attorneys' Perspectives on Psychological Evaluations
Prof. Andrew Rasmussen and a colleague at City College of New York, CUNY, Prof. Adeyinka Akinsulure-Smith, are conducting a research study to better understand advocates’ experiences and perspectives regarding psychological evaluations in immigration cases.
Why This Matters:
Psychological evaluations often play a critical role in immigration proceedings, especially in asylum, hardship waivers, U visa, T visa, and cancellation of removal cases. However, little is known about how attorneys assess their usefulness, quality, and ethical implications.
This study is mixed methods, beginning with qualitative interviews in 2023-2024, and moving to a national survey in 2025. In the summer of 2025, we recruited over 250 attorneys and DOJ/EOIR accredited advocates who had ever worked in immigration for the survey. Survey topics included:
- How psychological evaluations are used in practice
- How attorneys and psychologists communicate regarding evaluations
- Preferences regarding content and structure of evaluations
- Impacts of working in immigration law
This study seeks to establish professional guidelines for these evaluations and improve collaboration between legal and mental health professionals in the immigration process.
To date we have presented findings at AP-LS and ISTSS, and are slated to do so again, as well as planning a presentation for NLPA. In early 2026 we submitted manuscripts from the qualitative section of the project to several peer-reviewed journal outlets, and we are currently (summer 2026) working on quantitative analyses. Check back here regularly for updates and summaries of findings!