A conviction on drug charges can carry long-term consequences. For immigrants, it can be devastating.
Recently, an Indiana man was arrested and charged with drug crimes after he was arrested at the restaurant where he worked.
According to a news report, police confronted the man at Marko’s Bar & Grill in Portage. Police said the man tried to run into a restroom when they questioned him, and an officer wrestled him to the ground. Police said they found plastic bags of white powder and several pills in his possession.
After they detained him, officers said the man told them he was an undocumented Mexican immigrant. The owner of the restaurant said he believed the man was a legal resident of the United States and had presented a Social Security card when he was hired, in 2016.
Immigration is a hot-button topic today, and the Trump administration has ramped up enforcement actions and deportation of undocumented immigrants. Being convicted of drug crimes can lead to deportation. Many undocumented immigrants are deported even without being charged with a crime other than illegal entry to the United States of overstaying a visa.
But even for legal immigrants, a conviction on a drug charge can lead to visa problems and even possible deportation. The Department of Homeland Security prioritizes deporting noncitizens it considers to be a serious threat to public safety or national security, but beyond that, it is loose in its definition of what crimes should qualify a legal immigrant for deportation.
Everyone accused of a crime deserves a defense, and should seek out help from a skilled criminal defense lawyer. This is especially important for immigrants who are accused of a crime.
Geography: Indianapolis, Indiana
Category: Drug Crimes
Primary Target URL: http://www.kammenlaw.com/Drug-Crimes/
Primary Anchor text: methamphetamine; federal drug charges; drug