US Immigration Prior Convictions or Crimes and the effect on Citizenship

Our experienced Fort Lauderdale Criminal Lawyers at 1-888-COHENLAW can help you navigate the very tricky area of immigration law surrounding recent criminal charges.  The decisions you make during your criminal charge will directly affect your immigration status.  Just because you may receive probation or avoid jail time does not mean you will not affect you US immigration status.  Law firms that just do criminal defense or just do immigration may not know of the nexus between the crime charged and the affect it will have on your immigration status.  You need an experienced immigration lawyer that also knows criminal law, like the lawyers at Cohen Law.  Wihtout this advise you could be facing Deporation with no chance of an Immigration Bond.

Even if you choose to hire an outside criminal defense law firm, we will work with your attorney to make sure your rights are preserved and you are able to go forth from criminal court without negatively affecting your criminal rights.  Call or contact us today to inquire how your criminal charges may affect your US immigration rights. 1-888-COHENLAW

I was only charged with a minor crime, can that affect my US Immigration Status?

In the State of Florida and other jurisdictions it may be possible to get you into a pretrial diversion program where you may be entitled to get the charges dismissed.  Why is that important? Because even minor crimes can have a MAJOR affect on you US immigration status, even if you are a permanent resident.   There are a slew of crimes that if you take a “plea” to, you may be subjecting yourself to deportation proceedings even if you have a green card.

If you take a plea and then go back to your country of origin, you may find out that you are ineligible to return to the United States.  Before leaving the United States even if you are a permanent resident, contact an experienced immigration lawyer to advise you on whether you will have trouble upon arriving back in the US, from traveling abroad.

Just because you are a permanent resident, does not mean that a criminal conviction will not hurt your immigration status.  A conviction can very well negate your chances of becoming a US Citizen. The crimes that could affect your chances of becoming a US citizen could be as minor as a petty theft or DUI, so it is important that you contact an immigration attorney that has experience in criminal law as well as US immigration matters.

Call our Law Offices

With our main immigration office in Fort Lauderdale Florida, we can help you with any and all immigration matters surrounding a criminal plea or criminal charge.  Our office also maintains lawyers that have over 40 years combined experience in the area of criminal defense.  These combined factors will assist you in getting a resolution to your immigration and criminal case.  What is imperative is that you speak to us prior to taking any plea on your Florida Federal or State criminal matter.

If you contact us after the plea has been taken it will be not only more expensive to assist you, but also more difficult to withdraw your plea.  Recent case law and developments will make it harder if not impossible to withdraw your plea once it is taken before the court.  Do not listen to inexperienced criminal lawyers that advise you to “just seal your record.” It not only does not assist in the immigration process, it may delay your application.

If you are applying for your permanent residency, US naturalization or even if you green card has expired and you are applying for a new one, be advised that the government will be looking at your criminal convictions. With that in mind by making the application itself, you could be opening the door to deportation proceedings if you have a qualifying criminal offense.

Call Cohen Law today at 1-888-COHENLAW or contact us from our website for a consultation.