Criminal Immigration Attorney Services
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY LAURA LEON
At the intersection of immigration law and criminal law, you’ll find anxiety, stress, and the need for a fresh start. A single charge or conviction can affect your ability to stay in the United States, apply for a green card, or return to the country after traveling, if the crime is serious enough.
Criminal immigration cases require careful handling; the stakes are high, and the choices made in a criminal case may have a permanent impact on your immigration status. Working with a criminal immigration attorney can help you protect your rights and plan for your future.
Find out how Laura Leon, PLLC can help by calling us at 979-810-8880.O ur criminal immigration lawyer can review how criminal charges may affect your immigration status, future applications, and ability to remain in the United States.
Table of Contents
CONTACT US TODAY
TO SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
Why You Need a Criminal Immigration Attorney
Timing matters in criminal immigration cases. Decisions made early in criminal cases can shape the outcome of your immigration case. For example, the crime you’re pleading guilty to may result in deportation.
By working with a criminal immigration attorney early, you can avoid outcomes that unintentionally affect your immigration status or options. They can help find alternatives that minimize your risk.
How We Can Help
When you work with a criminal immigration attorney at Laura Leon Law, know that we will take a careful and strategic approach to every element of your case.
We work to thoroughly evaluate your situation, identify immediate and long-term risks, and develop a plan that accounts for both your criminal case and your immigration status.
We assist with:
- Reviewing your criminal charges and potential immigration consequences
- Coordinating with criminal defense attorneys, when needed, to provide the most comprehensive defense possible
- Preparing applications for relief or waivers
- Defend you in immigration court
How Do Criminal Law and Immigration Law Connect?
Criminal immigration law covers the overlap between criminal offenses and immigration consequences. Criminal courts tend to focus on penalties like fines and jail time, while immigration authorities determine whether a person should be deported or denied immigration benefits.
Even offenses that seem relatively minor can lead to serious immigration issues, including deportation proceedings, inadmissibility, or loss of eligibility for visas and green cards.
Because of these risks, non-citizens who are facing criminal charges or who have a criminal record need to understand how their situation may affect their immigration status. A criminal immigration attorney can evaluate the immigration consequences of an arrest, charge, plea agreement, or conviction and explain how those issues may impact your ability to remain in the United States, apply for immigration benefits, or return to the country after travel.
While criminal defense attorneys handle the criminal case itself, a criminal immigration lawyer focuses on the immigration consequences that may result from a criminal matter. By reviewing court records, prior convictions, and pending charges, we can help identify potential immigration risks and develop a strategy to address them.
Whether you are applying for a visa, seeking permanent residence, pursuing naturalization, or defending against removal proceedings, it is important to understand how a criminal history may affect your case. An experienced criminal immigration attorney can help you explore available forms of relief, prepare supporting evidence, and advocate for your interests throughout the immigration process.
Is Illegal Immigration a Civil or Criminal Offense?
It’s not uncommon for clients to ask, “Is illegal immigration a civil or criminal offense?” In general, immigration violations, including being in or entering the country without permission, are civil matters. These violations generally lead to civil immigration proceedings like removal hearings.
However, some illegal immigration actions may result in criminal charges, such as immigration fraud or document falsification. These criminal charges or convictions can lead to further penalties and limitations on your immigration options.
CONTACT US TODAY
TO SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
How Criminal Charges Can Impact Your Immigration Status
Not all criminal charges have the same effect on your immigration status, but quite a few can cause serious risk. Immigration law makes a distinction between deportation, which is being removed from the country while you’re already here, and inadmissibility, which prevents you from reentering the country.
Common criminal offenses that may lead to immigration consequences include:
- Crimes of moral turpitude (conduct that is inherently depraved and contrary to good moral character)
- Drug-related offenses
- Domestic violence and protective order violations
- Fraud or misrepresentation
- Aggravated felonies
Some of these categories are broadly defined. Even a plea agreement can fall within these categories. This is why it’s important to also work with a criminal immigration lawyer. A criminal defense lawyer may see a plea deal as a good way to avoid extensive jail time, but a criminal immigration attorney can see the full scope of consequences that may affect you and make informed recommendations based on your immigration situation.
Types of Cases a Criminal Immigration Lawyer Handles
Criminal immigration attorneys accept a wide range of matters including:
- Defense during deportation proceedings
- Bond hearings for detained individuals
- Post-conviction relief
- Applications for waivers and other types of relief
- Appeals and motions before federal and immigration courts
CONTACT US TODAY
Choose Laura Leon Law as Your Criminal Immigration Lawyer
Your criminal immigration attorney at Laura Leon Law is committed to protecting your current freedoms and your options at the same time. Let’s discuss your next steps now; call us at 979-810-8880 or fill out our online contact form now.
