Criminal Defense of Immigrants

Each significant criminal event (i.e., each offense, plea and sentence) must be examined to determine what, if any, immigration damage it causes.  Most of the adverse immigration consequences of crimes are triggered upon a “conviction.”  See § 5.18(B), infra.  A relatively smaller number of immigration consequences are triggered by criminal conduct, even if no conviction results.  See § 5.18(A), infra.  After the immigration damage from each criminal event is listed, counsel must seek a solution to each problem.  See § 5.19, infra.