A non-citizen facing a criminal misdemeanor charge in Joliet or Will County, Illinois, is subject to federal deportation laws. Under federal law a legal or illegal immigrant can be deported for committing certain criminal actions. Not all criminal misdemeanors in Illinois are deportable offenses, but many of them are.
The first class of deportable offenses that may be considered misdemeanors in the jurisdiction of Will County, Illinois, include all crimes of misrepresentation and fraud. Examples of these include producing or possessing a fake visa or equivalent document or owning a falsified marriage certificate.
The second class of deportable offenses that may be considered misdemeanors in Joliet or Will County Illinois, are crimes of moral turpitude. Examples of a crime of moral turpitude include intentional theft, intentional infliction of harm, malice and lewdness. A legal or illegal immigrant may also be deported for having multiple convictions for crimes of moral turpitude, even if the crime does not rise to the level of a misdemeanor in Illinois.
The last group of deportable offenses that may be classified as misdemeanors in Joliet, Illinois, are crimes involving controlled substances. Any immigrant who after admission into the U.S. who is found violating any drug law or who is found to be a drug user or addict may be deported. This list includes any possession, trafficking, obstruction or paraphernalia charges.
There are many other actions considered misdemeanors in Will County Illinois that, if an immigrant is convicted of, could face the consequence of deportation.
If you or someone you know are facing criminal charges that may result in deportation contact Hamilton & Antonsen to discuss your situation with an experienced attorney. Call 815.729.9220 to set up a free consultation.