Don’t Become a Deportation Statistic
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted 185,884 removals during 2020. While this was a 30 percent decrease from 2019, each of those 185,884 individuals had their lives upended and dreams crushed during these removals.
If you have a pending immigration hearing, want to change your status, or your visa is up for renewal, employing a top immigration attorney can prevent you from becoming a deportation statistic.
What Is The Most Common Reason Someone Is Deported?
The most common reason ICE deports people are criminal convictions. Even if you agree to a plea deal with a prosecutor that seals your record or avoids jail time — your next stop will likely be immigration court.
Under a 2019 decision by then-Attorney General Barr, even if a state-court order modifies, clarifies, or alters the term of imprisonment or sentence associated with a conviction, it doesn’t legally apply to immigration law, meaning deportation is still a risk.
The courts qualify crimes that can endanger your immigration status as either a “crime of moral turpitude” or an “aggravated felony.” Crimes of moral turpitude include “fraud, larceny, and intent to harm persons or things.”
In some cases, immigrants can apply for a waiver for crimes of moral turpitude to prevent deportation, but certain terms must apply, and how long you’ve been living in the United States will dictate how lenient the courts will be. In addition, if you’ve committed the crime within five years of admission to the United States is a crucial threshold for deportation.
Aggravated felonies include crimes such as murder; rape; drug or firearms trafficking; sexual abuse of a minor; child pornography; money laundering, fraud or tax evasion involving more than $10,000; theft or violent crime with a sentence order of at least one year (it is irrelevant if it was suspended or if you only had to serve part of it); espionage, sabotage, or treason; perjury with a sentence of at least one year; and more.
How Can I Protect Myself From Deportation?
The best way to protect yourself from being deported is to call Fay, Grafton & Nunez to represent you in your immigration hearings. We offer immigrant consultations for $200 to discuss your case, inform you of your rights and strategize.
Fay, Grafton & Nunez has an Avvo rating of 10, ranking us as a top immigration firm in the country. Knowing your rights and then having a lawyer who understands the nuance of immigration court can make the difference in whether you get deported or not.
We will analyze every detail of your case and work to ensure you have the best chance of remaining in the United States.
