It is critical for non-U.S. citizens who have been arrested and accused of a crime to contact experienced, knowledgeable criminal defense counsel immediately after arrest, in order to minimize the possibility of a conviction and to work out a strategy that will preserve the client’s immigration status.
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) contains provisions that render a non-U.S. Citizen individual removable or deportable if he or she has been convicted of a Crime Involving Moral Turpitude (CIMT).
In order to determine if a crime is a CIMT, the government first examines the statute of conviction to determine if it fits within a category of criminal activities that is considered morally reprehensible.
This determination is a very complex process requiring extensive legal analysis and application of years of court and administrative decisions that set forth the type of criminal activities typically considered to involve moral turpitude.
