Drug possession charges can carry severe immigration penalties

On Behalf of | Aug 10, 2018 | Drug Possession

While some people in the Longview area might not realize it, even a non-citizen who has permission to be in this country can always be asked to leave under certain circumstances.

For instance, an immigrant who has not been naturalized may be deported if he or she commits certain types of crimes, including crimes related to drug possession. Unfortunately, sometimes the law even requires that the government deport an alien, even a permanent resident, who has committed a non-violent crime related to drug possession.

It is not the case that all drug possession crimes are deportable, however. For instance, a person who possesses a small amount of marijuana and was not trying to sell it will get one free pass before having to face deportation and other severe immigration consequences.

Likewise, some violations of Texas’s drug laws might not carry immigration consequences, particularly if there is no equivalent federal law that would also apply to the person’s behavior.

Still, a resident of the Longview area who is not a citizen of the United States who is facing a drug charge has even more incentive to mount an effective defense against the charge, as a conviction could mean not only jail but also the end of that person’s stay in the United States, even if the person has lived here for years.

A good defense strategy may be able to help a person avoid the most serious consequences of the charges pending against him or her and, more specifically, may serve to protect the persons’ interest in living in the United States.

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