Crimes of Moral Turpitude

(A)

Pre-1996 Deportation Ground.  At the present time, the sentence imposed is irrelevant to whether a CMT conviction triggers deportation.  The relevant consideration concerning the single-CMT-conviction deportation ground is now the maximum potential sentence, rather than the sentence imposed.  For noncitizens still in deportation proceedings begun prior to Apr. 24, 1996, the effective date of AEDPA, however, a single CMT conviction triggered deportation only if the sentence imposed was one year or more.  In these older cases, an order by the criminal court altering or vacating the sentence imposed to reduce it below one year is effective to remove the single-CMT conviction ground of deportation.