A recent report published by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse found that the number of removal cases waiting to be decided in immigration court has risen to nearly 600,000. 100,000 of those cases were added in the last twelve...
There are two ways to become a citizen of the United States. First, you can become a citizen by being born in the US, or having parents who are US citizens. Because this kind of citizenship is automatic, you may be a US citizen and not even know it. The second path to citizenship is to apply for naturalization. If ...
It’s every immigrant’s worst nightmare: You’ve been arrested by US immigration officials, ordered to appear at a hearing before an immigration judge, and told you’ll probably be deported. You may be placed in detention. You’re probably very scared, confused about what is going on, and unsure of what you should do.
In this article, we’ll cover the most common grounds for deportability. As always, remember that there is no substitute for the advice of an experienced and knowledgeable attorney, who can help you navigate the complex and often confusing world of immigration law.
Whether you’re applying for a visa to enter the US, attempting to avoid removal, or adjusting your immigration status, you’ll need to show that you are admissible to the United States. The government has identified certain reasons why you might not be admissible.
If you’re facing removal, you will have to show the government that you don’t meet any of the grounds for deportability. Due to some quirky legal rules, the specific grounds for deportability are different from the grounds for inadmissibility, but broadly speaking, they are both divided into criminal and non-criminal categories.
There are several ways in which your criminal history may impact your admissibility into the US as a noncitizen. We’ve already discussed the admissibility consequences of crimes of moral turpitude (CMTs) and drug crimes in previous posts, but there are a few other grounds of inadmissibility that may apply if you have ever been convicted of a crime inside or ...
Drug crimes – even crimes for which you haven’t been convicted, or even charged – can land you in hot water if you are attempting to gain admission to the US, facing removal, or trying to adjust your status. Below, we’ll discuss some of the consequences of drug crimes in the context of immigration law. If you have questions or ...
There is no exact definition of the phrase “crime of moral turpitude,” but generally, it refers to crimes that seem inherently wrong or immoral to a reasonable person. Crimes that involve an element of fraud, or an intentional effort to seriously injure another person, will probably qualify as crimes of moral turpitude.
You may be found deportable if you were convicted of a crime that qualifies as an “aggravated felony” at any time after you were admitted to the US. A conviction for an aggravated felony is a serious issue in immigration proceedings: Not only will you almost certainly be found deportable, but you’ll also be barred from receiving many of the ...
