Country Condition Evidence, Human Rights Experts, and Asylum-Seekers: Educating U.S. Adjudicators on Country Conditions in Asylum Cases

Abstract

This Briefing explores the evolving evidentiary issues in U.S. asylum law and the impact of recent legal developments, focusing on the role of expert evidence. The Briefing then addresses the historic context for the use of country condition evidence and, particularly, expert testimony in asylum cases. The third part of this Briefing highlights the importance of country condition evidence and expert testimony. Finally, the Briefing concludes with a brief discussion of some of the challenges that attorneys may face in working with country experts in asylum cases.

Keywords: evidence, corroboration, REAL ID, country conditions, experts, asylum