Empowerment, Advocacy and Healing
Dreamer’s
Hymn
A nonprofit organization providing culturally sensitive psychological evaluations and advocacy for immigrant families
Psychosocial Stressors – Trauma impacts memory
and recall, leading to fear-based responses that
courts misinterpret as dishonesty
Structural Violence – Racism, patriarchy, and
colonial power create a system where survivors
must prove their suffering to those who inherently
doubt them
Access to Resources – Basic tasks—finding the
right courtroom, navigating transit, understanding
legal rights—become insurmountable without
support
One missed detail, one moment of fear, can mean
deportation back to danger
Psychological hardship evaluations
were instrumental in securing U-
Visas for victims of crimes.
Psychological documentation
increased approval rates by 60%
compared to cases without such
documentation (Settlage, 2015).
What Dreamers Hymn Does
Our trauma-informed, culturally aware
psychological evaluations help ensure
that the legal system understands the
full picture—so survivors aren’t denied
protection because of how trauma
affects their memory, emotions, or
ability to testify
We address language barriers, colonial
power structures, and systemic
discrimination that make legal
processes unfair.
We guide individuals through legal,
housing, and mental health challenges,
ensuring they are not alone in their
fight for safety.
Navigating Complex Systems Shouldn’t Be Overwhelming
Immigration cases with psychological
reports had
an approval rate of 83%, while those
without had only a 45% approval rate
(Burke, 2019)
Traditional Approach
Focus on Documentation – Provides proof of
psychological hardship, trauma, or mental
health conditions for immigration cases.
Trauma-Informed – Recognizes trauma’s
impact but remains clinical and case-focused.
Legal Case Support – Strengthens applications
with formal assessments.
Immigration hardship evaluations
reduced case denials by nearly
50%, particularly when detailing
family psychological distress.
(Signorello, 2018)
Theoretical Orientation
Culturally Responsive Approach
Beyond Documentation – Transforms personal
trauma into legally recognized narratives.
Empowerment Through Storytelling – Helps
individuals share their experiences with confidence.
Holistic Support – Guides families through
immigration, housing, and mental health challenges.
Safe & Supportive – Provides space for emotional
healing alongside legal advocacy.
Securing Protections – Helps immigrants obtain
asylum, VAWA, U-Visas, and hardship waivers.
From Lived Experience To Advocacy
As a child, I was separated from my family and lost in an immigration
system designed to make us fail. My parents, unable to navigate its
complexities, struggled against barriers they couldn’t see—language, legal
red tape, and policies meant to break us. I blamed them, not realizing the
system was built to deny us a future.
I was lucky—I spoke English, I was strong, I endured. But resilience alone
shouldn’t decide who gets to stay and who is forced to leave.
At 20, I stood in court alone, pleading for my right to remain. If I lost, I’d
be sent back to a country that was no longer home.
Against the odds, I won asylum—not because the system worked, but
because advocates fought for me.
That’s why I founded Dreamers Hymn—so no one else has to fight alone.
Psychological evaluations played a
decisive role in 70% of cancellation
of removal cases, demonstrating
mental health deterioration risks if
deportation proceeded (Mercado
et al., 2022)
The Story Behind the Mission
Alif Ahmed
How My Experience Led to Dreamers Hymn
Expertise & Experience – Over a decade in applied psychology, social
policy, and clinical practice, specializing in unauthorized immigrants and
their families.
Research Focus – Studied the psychological impact of unauthorized status,
leading to a Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
publication.
Community-Based Interventions – Developed mental health programs for
South Asian immigrants, Bangladeshi mothers, and Muslim Americans.
Methodological Skills – Expertise in mixed-methods research, qualitative
interviewing, factor analysis, and predictive analytics.
Systems & Policy Impact – At THRIVE NYC & NYU Global TIES,, I
designed culturally responsive research and interventions addressing
systemic inequities.
Trauma & Systemic Barriers – As a psychotherapist, I supported survivors
of gender-based violence, refugees, and asylum seekers, witnessing how
immigrants—especially women—were forced to narrate trauma in
courtrooms that didn’t understand their reality.
Why We Need Your Help—Now
The Urgent Need
Without urgent funding, we will be forced to turn
away immigrants who desperately need our support
- Demand for evaluations has surged due to rising
deportation threats under Trump’s 2025
enforcement agenda.
- South Asian, Caribbean, and Black immigrants
face increasing wrongful detention and legal
barriers.
- Bangladeshi women seeking VAWA protection
remain trapped in abuse due to housing,
financial, and mental health barriers.
What’s at Stake?
If we don’t secure funding, we will no longer be able
to provide the evaluations that determine the fate of
so many immigrants in court.
- Without evaluations, survivors must testify
without proof of the trauma that shaped their
case. - Black and Brown immigrants facing deportation
will lose critical mental health documentation.
- Bangladeshi women fleeing abuse risk losing
custody without evidence of their trauma and
systemic barriers.
How Your Support Changes Lives
Every dollar donated ensures that immigrants in
crisis receive the expert evaluations they need to
secure legal protection.
Your contributions will allow us to:
- Hire mental health professionals to provide
evaluations.
- Expand legal advocacy for immigrants facing
deportation.
- Provide transportation, interpretation, and
direct aid for legal navigation.
- Ensure survivors of trauma and violence receive
the justice they deserve.
Courts gave significant weight to
psychological reports showing
extreme mental distress risks upon
deportation, leading to a 68% increase
in granted relief applications
(McDermid, 2001)
Type of Psychological Evaluations
U-Visa and VAWA
- A U-Visa evaluation focuses on the psychological
effects of being a victim of a crime (such as
domestic violence, sexual assault, or human
trafficking) in the U.S. It documents the
emotional and psychological trauma experienced
by the victim, which supports their U-visa
application.
- In the context of VAWA, the psychological
evaluation documents the abuse (physical,
emotional, or psychological) suffered by the
immigrant at the hands of a U.S. citizen or
lawful permanent resident spouse or parent. It
underscores the mental health consequences of
the abuse and supports the self-petition for
lawful status under VAWA
Asylum and Post-Conviction Relief
- For asylum seekers, the evaluation illustrates the
psychological effects of persecution (or fear
thereof) on the basis of race, religion,
nationality, membership in a particular social
group, or political opinion in their home
country. It provides evidence of trauma and
ongoing mental health challenges, which
support the claim for protection and asylum in
the U.S.
- Post conviction relief is a legal measures to
overturn or modify criminal convictions that
impact immigration status through psychological
evaluation.
601 Hardship Waiver and Cancellation of Removal
- Hardship waiver evaluation is crucial in showing
the extreme hardship a U.S. citizen or lawful
permanent resident would endure if their
relative is not granted a waiver for
inadmissibility to the U.S. It outlines the
psychological impact and difficulties the U.S.
relative would face without the waiver. - Cancellation of Removal evaluation aims to
demonstrate the significant emotional and
psychological hardship that a non-citizen’s
deportation would cause to themselves or their
U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family
members. It emphasizes the familial ties and
potential psychological consequences of
separation.
Asylum seekers who underwent
psychological evaluations had a 2.5
times higher chance of approval due to
documented PTSD and trauma effects
(Tazi, Rogers & Change, 2023)
All Services
Immigrant Advocacy?
We assist immigrants applying for asylum, VAWA,
U-Visas, and hardship waivers by providing free
psychosocial evaluations conducted by trained
psychology and social work students under
professional supervision. Our team ensures accurate
assessments and trauma-informed care.
What We Offer:
- Psychosocial Evaluations
- Trauma-Informed Mental Health Support
- Culturally Responsive Services
Childcare, Education & Workforce Development
As mothers work toward self-sufficiency, we help them access childcare, educational resources, and workforce training. Our programs connect families with essential services to build a secure future for themselves and their children.
What We Offer:
- Childcare & Afterschool Program Referrals
- English as an Additional Language (EAL) Support
- Job Training & Career Development
Motherhood and Parenting Support
Many of the women we serve are navigating the challenges of parenting, trauma, and economic instability. We provide psychoeducation, parenting guidance, and mental health referrals to support mothers and their children.
What We Offer:
- Parenting Support Groups
- Trauma-Informed Counseling Referrals
- Coping & Resilience Resources
Having forensic psychological reports
in T-Visa cases for human trafficking
victims revealed that 90% of cases
with mental health evaluations were
approved, compared to 55% without
such reports (Arastu, 2022).
How You Can Help
Seed and Startup Grants
We are seeking seed funding, startup grants to establish a sustainable foundation:
Foundations – Funding from organizations supporting immigrant justice, mental health, and equity.
Small Donations
Partner With Us
Dreamers Hymn is actively seeking partnerships with:
Legal Aid and Advocacy Organizations – Ensuring immigrants receive both legal representation and psychological evaluations that strengthen their cases.Forensic medical and psychological evaluations
significantly increased approval rates for
asylum applications and deportation defense
cases. The study reported that applicants who
submitted psychological evaluations had a 75%
success rate, compared to 30% for those
without such evaluations. (Atkinson, et al.
2021)
An extensive guide on using forensic
psychological assessments in
immigration court, highlighting their
effectiveness in establishing
credibility and improving case
success rates (Evan & Hass, 2018)
A structured psychological
assessment protocol for asylum
applications and found that cases
including forensic psychological
assessments were approved at a rate
of 85%, compared to 48% without
(Vaisman-Tzachor, R., 2014)
Evaluations were particularly
critical in VAWA (Violence
Against Women Act) cases,
increasing approval rates by
40% when psychological
distress and abuse impact were
documented (Meyers, 2020
If you’re committed to immigrant justice, mental health equity, and systemic change, let’s work together.
315 5th Ave, Suite 701, New York, NY 10016
347-421-8024
info@dreamershymn.org
Reference
Atkinson, H. G., Wyka, K., Hampton, K., & Seno, C. L. (2021). Impact of forensic medical evaluations on immigration relief grant rates and correlates of
outcomes in the United States. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine. Available at ScienceDirect.
Tazi, K. Y., Rogers, R., & Chang, Y. T. (2023). Forensic evaluations for immigration courts: A critical commentary on legal and ethical considerations.
Psychological Injury and Law. Available at Springer.
Vaisman-Tzachor, R. (2014). Psychological assessment protocol for asylum applications in federal immigration courts. Annals of Psychotherapy & Integrative
Health. Available at EBSCOhost.
Settlage, R. G. (2015). Uniquely unhelpful: The U visa’s disparate treatment of immigrant victims of domestic violence. Rutgers University Law Review.
Available at Core.ac.uk.
Arastu, N. S. (2022). Access to a doctor, access to justice? An empirical study on the impact of forensic medical examinations in preventing deportations.
Harvard Human Rights Journal. Available at SSRN.
Burke, S. (2019). Striving for credibility in the face of ambiguity: A grounded theory study of extreme hardship immigration psychological evaluations.
ProQuest. Available at OhioLINK.
Signorelli, G. L. (2018). Immigration waivers and the psychological effects on family members throughout their loved one’s legalization process. Southern
University Law Review. Available at SSRN.
Mercado, A., Antuña, C. S., Bailey, C., & Garcini, L. (2022). Professional guidelines for psychological evaluations in immigration proceedings. Journal of Latinx
Psychology. Available at PsycNet.
McDermid, L. (2001). Deportation is different: Noncitizens and ineffective assistance of counsel. California Law Review. Available at HeinOnline.
Evans III, B., & Hass, G. A. (2018). Forensic psychological assessment in immigration court: A guidebook for evidence-based and ethical practice. Taylor &
Francis. Available at Taylor & Francis.
Meyers, R. S. (2020). Conducting psychological assessments for US immigration cases. Springer. Available at Springer.
Meyers, R. S. (2020). Conducting psychological assessments for US immigration cases. Springer. Available at Springer.