Deportation and Criminal Convictions

          A criminal conviction (which includes a withhold of adjudication) can have serious ramifications pertaining to the deportation of someone who is not a United States citizen but who wishes to remain lawfully in the U.S.

          The Immigration and Nationality Act sets forth various criminally-related grounds for deportation.  Some of those grounds are:

• Crimes of moral turpitude;
• Aggravated felonies;
• Controlled substance violations;
• Firearms violations;
• Domestic violence charges;
• Offenses pertaining to national security.

          Because a criminal conviction can have such serious deportation consequences for an individual who is not a U.S. citizen but who wishes to remain legally in the United States, I always ask my clients whether they are naturalized citizens of the United States.  If they are not, I routinely suggest that they consult an attorney who specializes in immigration law in order to determine how their pending criminal case might impact their immigration status.