Immigration Law: Aggravated Felony

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An “aggravated felony” conviction can be a lifetime bar to almost all forms of immigration relief. Under United States immigration laws, an aggravated felony is the highest form of criminal charge one can face and can make any non-citizen deportable, even one with legal status.

Even more troubling, a crime classified as a misdemeanor under state law could be considered an aggravated felony under immigration law. Today’s tip explains a certain type of aggravated felony and how to handle those situations to avoid immigration consequences.

Under the large umbrella of aggravated felonies, the Immigration Nationality Act sub-divides crimes into multiple categories. One category is termed “crimes of violence.” These usually include assaults and aggravated assaults. While states may define these crimes differently, immigration law establishes its own definition.

If the state definition of a given crime matches the immigration definition of an aggravated felony, then that charge is treated as an aggravated felony for immigration purposes. Unfortunately, this means that a person can be convicted of a misdemeanor in state court, yet that charge will be viewed as an aggravated felony in the eyes of immigration.

I hope I haven’t lost your attention just yet.

Admittedly, the world of aggravated felonies under immigration law is a highly complex area of law because it differs from state to state. One way to prevent being convicted of an aggravated felony of a crime of violence is to avoid 365 days or more in prison.

What this means is, if you are charged with assault here in Texas and are sentenced to 365 days in jail, it is automatically considered an aggravated felony of a crime of violence under immigration laws. While it may sound arbitrary, if you are being convicted of a crime of violence, the one-year marker is the determining factor of whether immigration law considers the charge an aggravated felony.

So, let’s consider a hypothetical situation. Diego has a green card thus is in the USA legally. Green card holders have the best immigration status achievable aside from being a citizen. Green card holders can only get deported if they commit aggravated felonies or other certain specific crimes established by law.

Diego gets arrested in Texas for assault. He got in a fight at a bar, and now Texas is bringing criminal charges against him. Assault under Texas law can be punishable up to 1 year in jail. Let’s assume Diego is found guilty and sentenced to 365 days in jail. After Diego completes his time, Immigration Customs Enforcement will pick him up and place him in deportation proceedings because he has an aggravated felony that stems from 365 days in jail.

Now, let’s assume Diego is in the same situation, except he hired a lawyer who knows about immigration law. The lawyer should work for an outcome that does not involve 365 days of prison. For example, the lawyer could negotiate a deal for 364 days and avoid causing an aggravated felony of a crime of violence under immigration law, and Diego would not need to worry about deportation proceedings.

This is a critical factor to be mindful of when dealing with crimes of violence in a state court. Knowing this little fact can help prevent a permanent bar to immigration relief.

If you have any questions regarding aggravated felonies or the cross-over between criminal and immigration laws, please feel free to contact me at (832) 819-3723.

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