A Terrorism Prevention Imperative: Psychological Evaluations for All Immigrants

Abstract

Psychological evaluations of immigration applicants have been widely used for over two decades in the U.S. Federal legal system. The principal purpose of these assessments was and remains to assist immigration authorities in making determinations regarding the status of applicants of various categories. This article proposes that the same evaluations conducted to help adjudicate asylum petitions, removal proceedings, and inadmissibility hearings are also essential vetting devices for terrorism prevention. The systematic application of the now elective psychological evaluations for immigration courts to all immigrants could help identify would-be terrorists and help law enforcement prevent future attacks on the United States.