One of the questions I get asked a lot is whether a person will get deported for an arrest or crime conviction. This is a normal concern and I would be scared too. Whether or not you’re going to be deported for a criminal conviction is going to depend on the conviction. Immigration has a broad range of crimes that make you removable from the United States. Even if it’s a misdemeanor under criminal law, that doesn’t mean it’s a minor offence for immigration law. Generally, drug offences are going to always make you removable from the United States, except in the case of a small amount of marijuana if you are in the United States. Anything else, such as a theft offense, a fraud offense, or a violent felony can make you removable from the United States.
Just because a criminal lawyer says something was dismissed, may not be true for immigration law.
Often time a lawful permanent resident will make the mistake that a plea agreement for time served, probation or conditional discharge is not a conviction, but it is for immigration purposes. Just because a criminal lawyer says something was dismissed, may not be true for immigration law just because under criminal law it wasn’t a big penalty. If you didn’t go to jail and only did probation, that does not mean it’s not serious for immigration law. It’s very important to understand the criminal conviction and bring that to an immigration lawyer with all of your documentation to discuss it thoroughly and make sure you understand the consequences of that criminal conviction. This can affect your chance of applying for citizenship, if you decide to travel outside the country or even apply to renew your green card.
It is very important that your criminal lawyer tells you the immigration consequences or you speak with an immigration lawyer.
Most importantly, if you are dealing with a criminal case currently and have pending charges, it is very important that your criminal lawyer tells you the immigration consequences or you speak with an immigration lawyer. This required under criminal law now that a criminal lawyer makes certain that you understand the immigration consequences.
If you are in this situation and you would like to discuss the specifics of your case, please call our office to schedule a consultation via Skype or telephone. Because immigration is federal law, I can help you anywhere you live. We have clients in other countries, like Kuwait, Germany and throughout the U.S. whom we have never met in person and still help them get to their goal.
I am the owner and founder of Dahlia R Castillo Law Firm: A Virtual Immigration Law Office. My goal was to create an alternative way of providing immigration service at the convenience of the clients anytime and from anywhere by using bank grade technology.
