I receive referrals from immigration attorneys of undocumented immigrants who are in the process of applying for legal status. These immigrants are usually victims of abuse and trauma and in the process of applying for a U-Visa. These victims have been assaulted, raped, or otherwise abused. They qualify for this special visa because of the trauma they experienced and live with on a daily, ongoing basis.
Other individuals who are US citizens have a spouse or family member who is undocumented and under threat of being deported. In these cases, the US citizen will experience extreme hardship if the undocumented family member is deported. I evaluate the psychological effects this deportation would have on their life situation and psychological well-being. In many cases, the effect would be devastating to the US citizen.
I interview these individuals and write a report on their psychological situation. This lengthy report is included in the immigration application for the undocumented individual. The objective of the letter is to explain from a psychological viewpoint the emotional situation of the immigrant and help the immigration officials to make a decision considering all factors.
