Criminal Charges and Your Immigration Status

For criminal defense and immigration representation throughout Suffolk County and Nassau County – call attorney Shawn Kassman at 631-232-9479

Immigrants, and foreigners seeking residency or citizenship in the United States, have additional concerns if they are arrested or investigated for a criminal offense. In addition to the consequences we all must worry about if we are arrested (our loss of freedom, fines and the damage to our reputation), immigrants and foreigners seeking residency or citizenship in the United States, must also worry about how an arrest or conviction will affect their immigration status.

Although there are many excellent criminal defense attorneys throughout New York, not many of them are aware or understand the impact a criminal conviction can have on your immigration status. Many criminal defense lawyers will plea bargain and advise you to accept a plea for a lesser offense. While this may be a desirable result for an ordinary citizen, the immigration consequences could be devastating. For this reason, if you are an immigrant or have an immigration petition pending, you will want to retain a criminal defense attorney who also is familiar with the immigration consequences of an arrest or conviction.

A criminal conviction, whether through the courts or through a plea agreement, could result in deportation or exile if you are foreign national. You need to fully understand the your options, including all the risks, in order to make an informed decision about your criminal defense. That information includes immigration consequences to accepting any plea agreement. Moreover, your attorney needs to fully understand the consequences of any plea agreement in order to properly advise you, as well as to attempt to negotiate a plea agreement that won’t affect your immigration status.

If you have been arrested for a New York crime, or are currently under investigation for a criminal offense, you will want to make sure your criminal defense attorney is well-versed in criminal law as well as immigration law.

Contact Suffolk County, New York, Criminal Law and Immigration Attorney Shawn Kassman

If you have New York Criminal Law related questions or Immigration related questions, please call criminal defense and immigration attorney Shawn Kassman or a member of his legal team at 631-232-9479 (toll-free 888-545-2944) or fill out our online intake form. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and defend clients located in Central Islip (main office location), Holtsville (office location), Bayshore, Brentwood, Oakdale, Sayville, Port Jefferson and Riverhead and both Suffolk and Nassau counties. Our Central Islip law offices are conveniently located down the street from the courthouse and we can assist you with your criminal defense or immigration issue during your time of need.