Immigration Crimes & Defense Attorneys in New York & New Jersey
Facing Immigration-Related Charges? Protect Your Status, Rights, and Future.
Immigration issues are uniquely complex because they often involve both state criminal law and federal immigration law. An arrest for even a seemingly minor offense can place your immigration status at risk — including visas, green cards, or citizenship applications. In both New York and New Jersey, immigration-related charges or criminal convictions may trigger deportation proceedings, denial of immigration benefits, or permanent bars to reentry into the United States.
Common Immigration-Related Crimes
Immigration and criminal law often intersect in cases involving:
- Fraudulent Documents: Use of false passports, visas, or Social Security numbers.
- Identity Theft: Using another person’s information to obtain employment or benefits.
- Marriage Fraud: Entering into a marriage solely to obtain immigration benefits.
- Employment Violations: Hiring or working without proper authorization.
- Reentry After Deportation: Returning to the U.S. after removal without authorization.
- Drug, Theft, or Fraud Convictions: Crimes considered “crimes involving moral turpitude” or aggravated felonies under immigration law.
Immigration Consequences of Criminal Convictions
Even charges unrelated to immigration — such as assault, theft, or drug possession — can have devastating immigration consequences. Depending on the conviction, individuals may face:
- Deportation or Removal Proceedings
- Ineligibility for Asylum, Green Cards, or U.S. Citizenship
- Mandatory Detention by Immigration Authorities
- Bars on Returning to the United States
Immigration Crimes in New York & New Jersey
While immigration law is federal, New York and New Jersey often prosecute underlying offenses (identity theft, forgery, employment fraud, etc.) that lead to immigration consequences. Convictions at the state level can then trigger federal immigration enforcement. This makes coordination between criminal defense and immigration defense critical.
Defense Strategies
Every immigration-related case is unique, but possible defenses may include:
- Contesting the underlying criminal charges to avoid deportable convictions
- Negotiating plea agreements that reduce or eliminate immigration consequences
- Asserting constitutional defenses against unlawful searches, arrests, or confessions
- Pursuing waivers, cancellation of removal, or asylum defenses in immigration court
- Challenging the validity of government evidence and documentation
Why Legal Representation Matters
Few areas of law carry higher stakes than immigration-related crimes. The outcome can determine whether you remain in the country, whether your family stays together, and whether you can pursue the life you’ve built in the United States. An attorney experienced in both New York and New Jersey criminal law and federal immigration law can protect your rights, defend against state charges, and guide you through the immigration consequences.
