Immigration Psychological Evaluations
Immigration proceedings often turn on a clear, well-documented picture of an individual's mental health history and current psychological functioning — whether the case involves asylum, cancellation of removal, or another form of relief. A thorough evaluation can be central to the outcome, and it needs to withstand scrutiny in a legal system where the stakes are often as high as any criminal matter.
What This Evaluation Addresses
Mental health factors are frequently central to asylum claims, where a well-documented psychological history — including trauma, its sequelae, and how it connects to the basis for the claim — can be critical to the case. Evaluations also support mitigation in a range of immigration proceedings, providing the court with context on an individual's psychological history and current functioning that may not otherwise be apparent from the record.
I'm also frequently retained in cases where an individual with prior criminal justice involvement is facing deportation. These cases often require a violence risk assessment and/or a sexual offense risk evaluation as part of the immigration proceeding, applying the same rigorous, instrument-supported approach used in my criminal forensic work to the immigration context.
Who I Work With
I accept referrals from immigration attorneys and attorneys handling the underlying criminal or civil matter, across California.
Linguistic and Cultural Familiarity
Many individuals I evaluate in immigration matters are Chinese-speaking, and I conduct evaluations in Cantonese where appropriate. Linguistic fluency alone isn't sufficient in these cases — cultural familiarity meaningfully shapes how someone's history, symptoms, and experiences come across in an evaluation. Being able to evaluate someone in their own language, with an understanding of their cultural background, helps ensure the evaluation presents a complete and accurate picture rather than one shaped by translation gaps or cultural misunderstanding.
The Evaluation Process
Each evaluation includes a thorough review of relevant records (immigration filings, prior mental health and treatment history, criminal records where applicable, and any prior evaluations), a clinical interview, psychological testing where appropriate, and a malingering assessment where indicated. Collateral interviews are conducted when they would meaningfully inform the opinion. Where risk is at issue, a structured professional judgment tool is used to support the reliability of the risk analysis. These evaluations typically take 3 weeks to complete.
What You Receive
A thorough, well-organized written report addressing the relevant mental health factors and, where applicable, risk
Availability for pre-report consultation to clarify the referral question or case context
Testimony if the matter proceeds to a contested hearing
Rebuttal review of an opposing expert's evaluation, when appropriate
Why Attorneys Work With Me
I've been qualified as an expert witness in California courts and bring both forensic evaluation experience and Cantonese-language, culturally informed evaluation skills to immigration matters. Learn more about my background →
If you have an immigration matter where mental health factors, criminal history, or risk are at issue, I'm glad to discuss the referral before you commit to a full evaluation — feel free to reach out to talk through the specifics.
Curious what other attorneys say about working with me? Read my Google reviews →