If the police charge you or a loved one with a criminal offense and you have immigration concerns, you may be feeling an intense amount of pressure. From the moment of arrest to possible removal proceedings, each decision can carry far-reaching consequences for your future in the United States.
A Houston criminal immigration lawyer from our firm recognizes how disruptive and frightening the intersection of criminal law and immigration law can be. Our goal is to bring clarity, strategy, and hope so you and your family understand your options and how an experienced immigration attorney could fight to protect your rights.
Many immigration lawyers do not understand what steps to take in the criminal courts after an immigrant gets arrested for a crime. Likewise, many criminal defense attorneys do not know how to handle criminal convictions when their client is at risk of deportation. So, when immigration law and criminal defense come together, the combined result is one of the most complex and technical areas of law. Naturally, you need an experienced Houston criminal immigration attorney who is knowledgeable of the immigration consequences of criminal convictions if you want any chance of presenting a strong defense for your case.
Criminal immigration is especially threatening because these particular types of cases have the potential to tear families apart. Individuals convicted of a crime could be punished to the fullest extent of the law, including deportation and permanent removal from the United States, with no hope for return. Immigration attorney Jennifer A. Lopez is dedicated to protecting the rights of immigrants who may be facing possible deportation and works avidly to ensure that immigrant families stay together. Contact J. Lopez Law today to schedule a consultation with our team.
A criminal conviction can change a person’s life in a single moment. When an immigrant is accused and charged with a crime, however, the consequences are especially overwhelming. Even the most minor of crimes, like petty theft, driving without a license, or even possession of a controlled substance, could potentially lead to deportation or permanent removal.
Individuals convicted of crimes may be permanently ineligible to immigrate to the United States, and immigrants who have taken up residence in the U.S. with a green card could risk losing residency permanently, leading to deportation. Due to complicated immigration laws, being convicted of a crime could force you to be deported back to a country that you may have originally escaped from due to violence, war, or persecution. Having to return to a country that is experiencing war, where you may not know anyone, have no source of income, do not know the language, or are persecuted could be absolutely devastating.
Our legal team can assist you by providing the following services.
The first step in safeguarding your immigration status is to fight the criminal charges. We thoroughly investigate your case, looking for evidence, witness statements, and legal arguments that can strengthen your defense. We work closely with experts and other professionals to evaluate all aspects of your case, crafting a strategy that minimizes the risk of conviction and protects your immigration status.
If a conviction cannot be avoided, our focus shifts to minimizing the impact of that conviction on your immigration status. We know deeply how different charges, pleas, and sentencing options affect immigration. In some cases, we may negotiate plea deals for lesser charges that do not carry immigration consequences or that allow for post-conviction relief. We aim to help you avoid charges that could lead to deportation wherever possible.
If you already have a criminal conviction that affects your immigration status, there are still legal options available. We are skilled in pursuing post-conviction relief, which can sometimes vacate or reduce the impact of a conviction. This might involve challenging the original conviction or petitioning for a sentence reduction that could lessen immigration consequences. Additionally, if your criminal defense attorney did not properly advise you on the immigration risks of a conviction, we can help you explore ways to appeal based on ineffective counsel.
In cases where criminal convictions lead to removal proceedings, our attorneys aggressively represent you in immigration court, advocating for your right to stay in the country. We analyze every aspect of your case, from the charges to the legal grounds for deportation, and use any available defenses to argue against removal. For some, deportation defenses such as cancellation of removal, asylum, or withholding of removal may be applicable, depending on individual circumstances.
If immigration authorities have detained you due to a criminal charge or conviction, we can represent you in bond hearings to help you secure your release. Bond eligibility often depends on the nature of the charges and prior criminal history. Still, with strong legal advocacy, many clients can avoid prolonged detention while awaiting the resolution of their immigration case.
A criminal charge is daunting, but its potential impact on your family and future makes it even more critical to act swiftly. We work to protect your rights and keep your family informed of your case’s progress. Through open communication and tailored legal strategies, we strive to give you the best possible outcome for your future and your family’s stability.
Additionally, our attorneys provide bilingual services (English/Spanish) and are familiar with handling criminal immigration cases in courts in the area, including Harris County, Fort Bend, and Montgomery County. Our Houston legal team stays updated on any changes in federal immigration policy that directly impact crimmigration matters, ensuring we apply a strong and relevant strategy to your case.
Avoiding strenuous circumstances like the one mentioned above is exactly what our attorneys aim to do, and Attorney Lopez is deeply devoted to preventing injustice for immigrants and immigrant families. With aggressive and cost-effective criminal defense for immigrants in Houston who have been arrested, charged, or accused of a crime, our attorneys can help protect the rights of immigrants and ensure that their green cards are retained or that deportation is avoided.
By making payment plans available, Attorney Lopez makes seeking legal help as easy and affordable as possible. Going without legal representation in your criminal immigration case could end up costing you more money, more consequences, and possibly even your future and your freedoms. Our attorneys are experienced in both prosecution and defense of immigration law.
In fact, in her time spent in the Office of Chief Counsel at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), she learned what steps prosecutors take to remove or deport immigrants. Using the knowledge she learned at ICE, she has since switched sides to defending the rights of immigrants and has devoted her own practice to protecting families from the injustices of deportation and separation.
If your immigration extends beyond the reach of her practice, Attorney Lopez has a trusted network of attorneys in other areas of law, including criminal law and family law. By reaching out to other attorneys, she has created a legal team that can be entrusted to assist you in your criminal immigration matters and build the strongest defense possible for the best resolution possible.
Our lawyers are ready to respond quickly to crimmigration cases. We understand how critical time can be, so our office is open after hours for emergency consultations.
Consult the experienced criminal immigration lawyers at J. Lopez Law today. Attorneys who do not understand the complexities of immigration law could risk your citizenship and have the potential to separate your family for a lifetime. Trust the Houston criminal immigration lawyers who have a proven successful case history. Our attorneys could help protect your rights, prevent injustice, and help ensure that you and your family stay in the United States.
If you are an immigrant and the police charge you with a crime or you have an encounter with ICE, time is critical. The sooner you reach out to us, the more options we can preserve. Do not wait for documents or notices from ICE. Act now by contacting us today to schedule a consultation.
(713) 955-3323