A lawyer advising a non-citizen client in a criminal matter has an added duty: to advise the client of the immigration consequences, if any, of a criminal conviction. Failure to advise that results in a deportable consequence or some other immigration detriment, such as inability to naturalize or exclusion, could be the grounds for a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel under Padilla that could result in the underlying conviction being reopened and vacated.

Arizona Law SB 1070 uses the logic of “immigration compliance” to needlessly trample on the US Constitution, harms US citizens and the non-immigrants alike and damages genuine law enforcement efforts to curb crime. Severe flaws in the law subject it to strict scrutiny and possible injunction or reversal in the courts.

The US Supreme Court issues a landmark decision that could affect the reopening and reduction of criminal sentences if the alien was given poor advice or no advice on the immigration consequences of a criminal conviction. Notable is the concurrence (agreement) by Justices Alito and Roberts.

This is an actual question I received via e-mail:
“Is there an expiry date allowing relief if there has never been issued an NTA? My example is where, after a statement at a port of entry was given and a temporary green card with a one year validity was issued, an NTA was never received and [...]

Gravity of Immigration Court Hearings explained

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