“Permanent residents” and “visa and green card holders” enjoy most rights and privileges of other U.S. citizens. They can both work and live in the United States. However, if they commit certain crimes in California, they can be stripped of their status as a permanent resident or have their visas and green cards taken away, leading to deportation and permanent removal from the country. They can even be banned from returning to the country.
Immigration and Nationality Act
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) specifies people who can be deported for crimes they commit. Non-citizens can be removed (deported) if convicted of certain crimes. They can be expelled despite their length of stay, extend of establishment, or whether or not they have dependent children who are U.S. citizens. Whether or not they have green cards, visas, asylum, or are legal permanent residents, people can still be deported if they have committed any crime in the deportable crime categories.
Deportable Crimes
There are five crime categories for which a person could be deported in California. They include:
- Firearms offenses: convictions of buying, selling, possessing, or carrying a firearm;
- Drug offenses: convictions of possessing, distributing, or selling drugs unless the conviction was for possession for person use of 30 grams of marijuana ;
- Domestic Violence: convictions for domestic violence as a misdemeanor or felony;
- Aggravated Felonies: Conviction of an aggravated felony after being admitted to the U.S. such as murder, rape, stalking, child abuse, or any crime of violence;
- Crimes of Moral Turpitude: includes murder, rape, arson, DUI, fraud, and assault with a deadly weapon.
- Crimes Against the United States or its citizens: espionage, treason, or terrorism.
Click here for a list of additional Deportable Crimes
Contact Our Experienced Criminal Defense Attorneys
Because of recent changes to immigration policy, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can now open deportation proceedings to legal and illegal immigrants, if they have been convicted or accused of a serious crime. People are more worried and under stress than usual as an immigrant in the United States. Our firm has received many inquiries from concerned people about ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) warrants and their risk of deportation.
If you’re not a U.S. citizen and you’ve been arrested, charged or convicted for a criminal offense in Los Angeles that can lead to deportation, call and talk to one of our experienced attorneys and learn how we can help you. Under the current administration, you may be at serious risk of deportation. Our Los Angeles deportation defense attorneys might make the difference between staying in the United States and being removed from the country. Call Stephen G. Rodriguez & Partners to schedule a confidential, free initial consultation at our office.