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ARTICLE · 20 JUNE 2025

How A Criminal Record Affects Immigration Status

Having a criminal record affects immigration. If you have been convicted of a crime in the U.S. or another country, your criminal history could negatively affect your ability to live in the U.S. if you are not a U.S. citizen.

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Siri & Glimstad LLP
Siri & Glimstad LLP
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Having a criminal record affects immigration. If you have been convicted of a crime in the U.S. or another country, your criminal history could negatively affect your ability to live in the U.S. if you are not a U.S. citizen. This is true even if you are a permanent resident or legally in the U.S. in another status. A criminal record affects immigration and could result in you being placed in removal proceedings and potentially being deported.

Convictions and Consequences to Immigration

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) outlines the types of crimes that make a person deportable or inadmissible to the U.S. Criminal convictions can carry very severe immigration consequences such as an arrest by ICE, detention, revocation of a status, and deportation. A conviction includes being sentenced by a judge or jury to jail time or some other form of punishment, pleading guilty or no contest to a charge, or receiving a suspended sentence.

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