Aggravated Felonies

            (G)  State Law Definition of Conviction Does Not Govern for Immigration Purposes.  The Full Faith and Credit doctrine does not require the immigration courts to follow state definitions of what constitutes a “conviction” for immigration purposes. This issue is determined by reference to the statutory definition of conviction.[207]  Thus, the District Court for the Northern District of Texas rejected a claim that because Texas law did not consider a “deferred adjudication” to be a conviction, the Full Faith & Credit statute required the federal court to accept this state rule.[208]

[207] INA § 101(a)(48)(A), 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(48)(A).

[208] Bui v. Ashcroft, 2003 WL 251929 at p. *3 (N.D. Tex. 2003) (unpublished).