04 Sep Authorities take immigrants with criminal record into custody
For many immigrants living in the United States, the fear of being deported hangs over their heads. There are multiple factors that could prompt a deportation proceeding including the existence of a criminal record. Late last month, authorities took a total of 244 immigrants, who had criminal records, into custody.
According to officials with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, these individuals were rounded up in the course of a four-day sweep. The immigrants taken into custody were all living in Southern California. More than half of those individuals were from Mexico. Others arrested were from counties such as Thailand, Ghana and France. In all, 22 countries were represented.
The crimes the immigrants were convicted of include:
- Violent felonies
- Weapons
- Sex abuse
In addition, individuals convicted of “significant or multiple misdemeanors,” such as drunk driving, were rounded up.
There is no question that deportation proceedings are scary for those facing them. Noncitizen immigrants who are in this situation need to get past the fear and take action to defend themselves. Depending on a variety of factors it may be possible to successfully fight the deportation, even if you have a criminal record.
These matters are time sensitive which means it is imperative the person facing deportation act quickly to secure legal assistance. Because no two situations are the same and the specific circumstances surrounding each person’s conviction are relevant, an immigration lawyer needs as much time as possible to gather the information necessary to make a solid defense to the deportation.