Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Let's talk a little bit about deportation. One of the most frightening things that a
non-citizen can face is the threat of deportation from this country. Sometimes, the consequences
of deportation can be much more serious than even a criminal conviction and time in jail,
and they can be much more long lasting.
The most common way of being placed into deportation proceedings is by being convicted of a crime.
There are some crimes that won't make you deportable, but there are many that will.
The most serious types of crimes are aggravated felonies and something called 'crimes of moral turpitude.
It's difficult to determine whether individual convictions will qualify under these categories,
so it's important to talk to an immigration attorney the second that you've been charged
in order to determine the risk of a criminal conviction.
Other crimes that are very, very serious for immigration purposes are crimes involving
drugs and crimes involving any firearms; those can render you immediately deportable.
The best thing to do if you've been charged with a crime is to involve an immigration
attorney as quickly as possible. A lot of times, the consequences of a criminal offense
can be more severe in the immigration context than they can in the criminal context.
Sometimes, pleas that might make more sense to you criminally, for instance might get
you less time in jail, could have more severe consequences for your immigration status.
The most important thing that a non-citizen can do if they've been charged with a crime
is to evaluate the immigration consequences of a potential plea as soon as possible in the process.
A lot of times, your best option in the criminal world is going to be a lot different than
your best option in the immigration world. It's important to have an attorney that understands
the potential repercussions of a criminal plea as early on as possible.
These are the basics of Criminal Deportation Law.