Criminal Defense Attorney working with Immigration Attorney

This morning, the Immigration Judge granted a motion to terminate the removal proceedings against one of my clients. How did we pull it off? My client is a lawful permanent resident. At the time his family contacted me, he was in state custody with multiple criminal charges pending. I told his family to have his public defender contact me so that we could discuss a strategy.

When I spoke with his public defender, she informed me that my client was facing several charges of forgery and that the prosecutors were offering a very bad deal. I prepared a detailed memorandum explaining why it was a very bad deal and suggested some alternatives that she could use to negotiate with the prosecutors.

Eventually, the public defender called me and said that she managed to get the prosecutors to agree to a deal: one count of forgery, minimal restitution, and a sentence of less than one year in jail. While the absolute best scenario would have been no criminal conviction at all, this deal allowed my client to avoid a number of bad consequences. Notably, the conviction would not be considered an aggravated felony or a crime involving moral turpitude committed within five years of admission. Also, since there was only one conviction, the government could not allege that my client had been convicted of multiple crimes involving moral turpitude.

Once my client was transferred from state custody to immigration custody, I submitted the motion to terminate. (A motion to terminate is similar to a motion to dismiss.) The judge granted the motion and my client is going to be released. I am ecstatic and happy that I was able to be a part of a favorable outcome for my client.

Of course, every case is different and if you are facing a similar scenario, you should consult with a good immigration attorney. If you would like to speak with me, you may call me at 626-577-8011 or send me a message.