The United States government takes criminal activity very seriously, and law enforcement from varying agencies around the country is seeking to create a safer and more comfortable environment for the people. In the event of criminal activity in the country, they take matters very seriously and will go through great lengths to makes sure that people pay for their crimes with fines, probation, jail time, etc. However, when there is an immigrant here, even one who has a green card, if they are accused of illegal activity there is a good chance they will be facing possible deportation for their actions. While not all crimes can lead to the deportation of an immigrant, there are certain actions that are deemed more substantial and therefore one of the punishments would be being sent out of the U.S.

A crime of moral turpitude is considered to be an action that goes against human kind's standards of good morals and honesty in the community, and crimes that fall under this category may lead to the threat of deportation. Crimes such as felony, intent to harm another person or something or larceny. The government sees crimes of theft or anything else that is dishonest, like fraud, falls under this category automatically because it has the intent to hurt someone, even if it is not with a physical attack. Also, if an immigrant were to receive a charge for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, there is a very good chance that they could be facing deportation if an accident caused injury to another person.

In the event that you are an immigrant and you have been accused of any sort of crime, contacting an experienced immigration attorney who has worked with deportation defense is absolutely essential if you plan on staying in the U.S. As an immigrant, even with a green card, your status of being able to live here is on much thinner ice than if you were to be an actual citizen. In some cases there are exceptions to moral turpitude offenses and that is if you can get the court to agree that it is a petty offense; again, this is why having an attorney on your side is so vital! Perhaps you were arrested for shoplifting or a DUI without accident or any injuries, etc. In that case your attorney may be able to prove to the judge that your actions were merely minor offenses and therefore not worthy of deportation even if contacted.

What then, determined when a person would be sent from the country for committing one of these crimes? One way is for those who are newer to the country, and if one of these crimes of moral turpitude are committed within the first 5 years of you having your admission into the country, then there could be a very real possibility of deportation if you are convicted for the crime. Another common reason for deportation under this category is if you have already been accused of a crime and this is your second (or more) offense during your time here in the U.S. Even if you have lived in America with your green card for longer than 5 years, in many cases if you have committed multiple offenses of moral turpitude there can be the chance of deportation; no matter when the crimes took place.

As you can see, there are many details regarding the topic of criminal charges and immigration, and for this very reason immigration attorneys have dedicated their time to helping people fight for their freedom to remain here in the land of the free. Do not hesitate in contacting an attorney in your area to help you fight for your future!