A criminal conviction sometimes has consequences related to immigration status. However, not every crime leads to deportation, as it needs to be a specific type of crime.
Examples of crimes that result in deportation are aggravated felonies, domestic violence, most drug convictions and moral turpitude crimes.
Aggravated felonies
According to FindLaw, the court does not decide on deportation based on if the crime is a felony or misdemeanor. Rather, it bases the decision on the specific crime, and crimes that fall under the aggravated felony category are deportable. Some examples of these crimes include:
- Rape
- Murder
- Child pornography
- Forgery of an immigration document
- Money laundering of more than $10,000
- Obstruction of justice
Some crimes, such as drug trafficking, theft, burglary and violent crime, are aggravated felonies only if they have a sentence of one year or longer.
Moral turpitude
There is not a specific definition of moral turpitude, but it refers to crimes that violate the trust of individuals and of the country. Examples include embezzlement, fraud, shoplifting, perjury and assault.
Other crimes that result in deportation
The State Justice Institute, Center for Public Policy Studies lists other criminal conviction categories that result in deportation. These include domestic violence crimes, such as stalking, child abuse and protective order violations. Firearm offenses and crimes that relate to controlled substances result in deportation, with the exception of marijuana possession of 30g or less.
Other crime examples include document fraud, illegal travel, terrorist activity, espionage, high-speed flight and failure to register as a sex offender. Some illegal activities may also result in immigration consequences even if there is not a criminal conviction. Examples of these include illegal voting, alien smuggling, drug addiction and claiming U.S. citizenship falsely.