Jail or Prison Time
As someone who is not a US citizen, you may face extreme consequences if you are even investigated for a crime. If convicted, you could not only lose your job, but also your freedom. Furthermore, a conviction—or, in some cases, even the investigation—could interfere with your immigration status. Working with a public defender or even a criminal defense attorney isn’t enough; for the best defense, you need a law firm that understands your unique situation and—most importantly—has experience with immigration law. You need a Riverside criminal defense immigration attorney to help protect you as much as possible.
Criminal charges can be frightening for anyone. For non-citizens, however, those consequences can feel even more daunting. If you are facing criminal charges in Riverside as a non-citizen, you need a highly-qualified attorney who specializes in criminal defense and possesses knowledge of immigration law. Having a Riverside criminal defense immigration lawyer on your side will help you protect your rights and your freedom. From ensuring that you understand the charges against you and the potential consequences to helping to minimize the consequences as much as possible, we want to help.
A criminal conviction can threaten your immigration status and lead to a number of potential problems. A criminal record could prevent you from remaining in the United States and prevent you from obtaining citizenship. Furthermore, a criminal conviction could mean:
In addition, you could face many of the same criminal consequences faced by citizens when they commit a crime, including fees, jail time, and revocation of privileges like your ability to drive (in the case of a DUI or vehicle-based conviction). Having a Riverside criminal defense immigration lawyer on your side can go a long way toward helping to protect your rights and minimizing the consequences you may face.
Deportable crimes or offenses include those that could challenge your immigration status and lead to your removal from the United States. These crimes may include:
Often, these crimes may carry much more serious consequences for potential non-citizens than they would for United States citizens. As such, it is critical that you have a criminal defense immigration attorney on your side to help protect your immigration status and right to reside in the United States as well as your personal rights and freedoms.
Alejandro handled my criminal case. I was looking at a lot of time and he fought for me for over a year and a half and got me the best possible outcome. He was always honest and upfront about everything. Even after my criminal case was over he would still check on me just to see how I was doing. ( still does ) He was an absolute godsend and always encouraged me to not give up and keep going. Couldn’t ask for a better lawyer.
There are several crimes in California that can lead to a status of inadmissibility, which means that the individual cannot reenter the United States once they have left, cannot become a US citizen, and cannot apply for permanent resident status in the United States. These crimes include:
Immigration law is complex and multifaceted, and even minor convictions can carry serious consequences to your immigration status, including leading to inadmissibility.
A criminal investigation or even criminal charges do not necessarily have to mean disaster for your immigration status. In many cases, a Riverside criminal defense immigration attorney can help protect your rights and your immigration status. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you navigate this complex situation.
The accused is taken into custody. Police will ask basic discovery questions like name and address to identify a person, then pivot to more specific questions related to the incident.
You have the right to remain silent to avoid disclosing evidence that could potentially be self-incriminating, as well as the right to an attorney to defend you in court.
The police will take you in for booking — Police will fingerprint you and get and updated photograph for their records. After, you’ll be given a chance to contact your criminal defense lawyer.
The arraignment is the final date for you to decide how you’re going to plea. If you plead guilty, the case is set for a sentencing date. If you plead not guilty, your attorney will prepare for trial.
In the discovery stage, you’ll get to see exactly what evidence the prosecution has against you. This is when your attorney can make additional requests for evidence if need be and strengthen your defense.
Accepting the plea bargain is the last chance to plead guilty before the trial. Reduced charges may be presented to quickly settle the case and avoid trial.
The prosecutor presents the case to the jury. Any evidence or witness statements are shared at at this time. Afterward, it’s your lawyers turn to take the stands and share your side of the story. The jury will make a final verdict.
At sentencing, the Judge must decide the appropriate legal penalty for the crime you were found guilty of. Decisions are based on the advised penalties for the specific charges in question.
Jail or Prison Time
Substantial Fines
Lengthy Probation
License Suspension
Mandatory Education
In some cases, you may be deported if you plead guilty to a crime. Whether you will be deported will depend on the type of crime and the consequences for it. If you receive a criminal conviction that leads to less than 12 months in jail, you might not have your visa canceled, and you might be able to remain in the country.
However, keep in mind that in some cases, pleading guilty to lesser charges could result in deportation. For example, many types of drug convictions, such as Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, may lead to deportation from the United States, even crimes that might have relatively minor consequences for US residents. As such, you should make sure that you work closely with a Riverside criminal defense immigration attorney to protect your immigration status as well as your personal freedoms.
Even a criminal misdemeanor can lead to consequences that may impact your immigration status. While there are specific crimes that may lead to revocation of your current status if you are convicted, even a misdemeanor could prevent you from being eligible for a visa or green card. In general, you can only get a “petty offense” exception for a single crime, including a misdemeanor.
Unfortunately, many non-citizens will plead guilty to lesser charges or plead guilty in exchange for seemingly minor consequences, like community service hours or a short jail term. Later, that criminal conviction could make it impossible for the non-citizen to apply for current residency or slow down the immigration process. A Riverside criminal defense immigration attorney can help take your immigration status and changing needs into consideration as you manage those criminal charges.
Yes. You should always tell your lawyer all the facts so that your lawyer can represent you as effectively as possible. Lawyers cannot prepare for things they do not know about ahead of time, whether that means surprise evidence that crops up as you attempt to defend your case or past criminal convictions. Providing your lawyer with all the details can help them build a better defense that is more likely to protect your rights.
The district attorney is building their case against you right now. The Prosecutor will not take your charges lightly — Will you?