Gaining entry and the legal right to stay in the United States often requires extensive effort and careful adherence to legal procedures. However, all this work can be jeopardized if you are convicted of certain federal crimes, potentially leading to your deportation.
Understanding which crimes can lead to deportation is crucial for immigrants. The U.S. immigration system prioritizes public safety and legal compliance, so convictions for specific offenses can trigger deportation proceedings. Below are the key categories of federal crimes that can jeopardize your right to remain in the U.S.
Multiple criminal convictions
An immigrant may become subject to deportation if they are convicted of two or more offenses involving moral turpitude. This rule applies when these convictions are unrelated and do not stem from a single incident or scheme. For example, if an individual has two separate misdemeanor convictions for crimes such as theft and assault and these crimes are not connected, they may still face deportation.
The law may consider these multiple convictions as serious enough to jeopardize an immigrant’s status, regardless of whether they are currently serving time for these offenses or not.
Crimes involving moral turpitude
Convictions for crimes involving moral turpitude are considered particularly serious and can lead to deportation. These offenses are generally viewed as morally reprehensible and demonstrate a fundamental disregard for societal norms. Examples of crimes involving moral turpitude include:
- Theft: Theft or grand theft involves unlawfully taking someone else’s property.
- Assault: Serious assaults that inflict bodily harm or threaten violence.
- Fraud: Engaging in deceitful practices for personal gain, such as financial fraud.
- Sexual offenses: Crimes of a sexual nature, including sexual assault or exploitation.
- Murder: The unlawful killing of another person with intent or extreme recklessness.
Such convictions, especially those committed within a five-year period, can result in deportation due to their severity and the moral implications they carry.
Aggravated felonies
Immigrants convicted of aggravated felonies face mandatory deportation. These include serious crimes such as:
- Rape: Sexual assault involving force or coercion.
- Drug trafficking: The illegal distribution or manufacturing of controlled substances.
- Violent crimes: Serious crimes involving violence, such as assault or armed robbery with a deadly weapon.
- Fraudulent schemes: Large-scale financial fraud, including bank fraud or identity theft.
These offenses are deemed severe enough to result in automatic deportation, regardless of the individual’s immigration status.