Bloomberg Law
Aug. 29, 2022, 1:57 PM

New Expert Diagnosis Saves Immigrant From Removal to El Salvador

Bernie Pazanowski
Bernie Pazanowski
Reporter

An immigrant whose stepfather raped her and who therefore feared returning to El Salvador is entitled to a new hearing to present a doctor’s diagnosis explaining the inconsistencies in her testimony, the First Circuit said.

The Board of Immigration Appeals affirmed an immigration judge’s findings that Karen Rivera-Medrano wasn’t a credible witness and refused to remand her case for consideration of the report.

The report stated that Rivera-Medrano had post-traumatic stress disorder and a developmental delay that impairs her cognition. The doctor concluded that it’s difficult for Rivera-Medrano to “recount her experiences in a consistently clear and coherent manner.”

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