Criminal charges can have a significant impact on your immigration status, depending on the nature of the crime and the specific immigration status you hold. Here are some ways criminal charges can affect your immigration status:
- Deportation: If you are a non-citizen and you are convicted of certain crimes, you may be placed in immigration court hearings and becoming subject to being deported from the United States. These crimes include aggravated felonies, crimes of moral turpitude, violations of injunctions for protection against violence, drug offenses, and firearms offenses, to name a few.
- Inadmissibility: If you are seeking admission to the United States, criminal charges can make you inadmissible. Inadmissibility means that you cannot enter the United States, even if you have a valid visa or if you’re a lawful permanent resident. Crimes that can make you inadmissible include drug offenses, crimes of moral turpitude, and multiple criminal convictions, to name a few.
- Denial of immigration benefits such as U.S. residence, TPS, DACA, Conditional U.S. residence, citizenship, etc.: If you are a foreign national, applying for immigration benefits may be severely impacted depending on the type of contact you have with law enforcement. In some cases, even when a criminal charge is dismissed, you may nevertheless face immigration consequences. Crimes that can lead to the denial of immigration benefits include aggravated felonies, crimes of moral turpitude, drug offenses, and many more.
- Loss of status: If you are already in the United States on a non-immigrant visa, criminal charges can lead to the revocation of your visa and the loss of your status. This means that you would have to leave the United States and return to your home country.
It is important to note that the impact of criminal charges on your immigration status will depend on the specific circumstances of your case. If you are facing criminal charges and you are concerned about how they may affect your immigration status, you should speak with an experienced and best immigration attorney or best criminal defense attorney in Miami.