If you have been accused of a crime in Texas and are concerned about how this may affect your Green Card, it is important that you understand your rights and obligations under the law.

What If I Have Been Arrested?

First and foremost, if you are facing charges after an arrest, it is vital that you get in touch with an immigration attorney.  You may be under the impression that taking a plea for lesser charges or agreeing to a deal is in your best interest; and while the same plea agreement may work well for a US Citizen, this may not be the case for you.  Not all green card holders understand the residual impact of such agreements or plea’s and what their longterm effects are on your immigration status.

An experienced Texas immigration attorney can assist you and/or your criminal defense attorney by providing you with clear information on all of the elements involved in maintaining your status.

Will I Be Deported Or Lose My Green Card After An Arrest?

Depending on the type of crime you have been accused of, you may very well end up facing serious consequences related to your immigration status. The USCIS takes crimes of Moral Turpitude very seriously. Any charge, big or small, can affect your status as an applicant with Good Moral Character (GMC). Whether you accidentally walked out of a store with a pencil and got charged with shoplifting or inadvertently bumped into a car leaving a parking lot and later got charged with leaving the scene of an accident. These are crimes that may have been accidental in nature but which may later be considered crimes of moral turpitude. It is critical to go over your arrest and individual set of circumstances with an immigration attorney who can best provide you with the guidance that you need in order to help your case.

In some cases, after an arrest, a hold can be placed on you that does not allow you to be released after your arrest. In those cases, you could be transferred over to another prison, often a federal prison. In other cases, a recommendation for removal proceedings can be initiated.   Regardless of what you are being charged with, be prepared to establish a chain of documentation to provide your immigration attorney with so that he or she may be of better assistance.

If You Are Located In Houston or the surrounding area, get help today!

Whatever your personal status is, understand that you do have rights under the law and speaking to an experienced immigration attorney about your criminal case as early on in the process as possible may prove beneficial to your status. If you are in the Houston area, contact Zavala Immigration Lawyer for immigration assistance.