Many people do not realize that they have a conviction on their record for immigration purposes. Sometimes even dismissed charges are considered convictions under federal immigration law. Here’s the federal definition of conviction: “a formal judgment of guilt of the alien entered by the court” or, “if adjudication of guilt has been withheld, where a judge has found the alien guilty, or the alien has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or has admitted sufficient facts to warrant a finding of guilt, and the judge has ordered some form of punishment, penalty, or restraint on the alien’s liberty to be imposed.” INA § 101(a)(48)(A), 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(48)(A).
Before you end up at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an interview, or in Immigration Court for deportation proceedings, make sure a CrImmigration lawyer does a thorough review.
If your criminal case is over, and it resulted in a conviction (any admission of guilt), STERN Law knows how to best help you avoid deportation or denial of immigration benefits.
