{"id":2463,"date":"2026-03-25T11:29:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T11:29:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/?p=2463"},"modified":"2026-03-27T10:47:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T10:47:27","slug":"criminal-charges-and-immigration-what-non-citizens-in-houston-must-know-before-accepting-any-plea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/criminal-charges-and-immigration-what-non-citizens-in-houston-must-know-before-accepting-any-plea\/","title":{"rendered":"Criminal Charges and Immigration: What Non-Citizens in Houston Must Know Before Accepting Any Plea"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-4a7a76f{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-cf02491:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background) > .elementor-widget-wrap, .elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-cf02491 > .elementor-widget-wrap > .elementor-motion-effects-container > 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0px;--e-column-margin-right:0px;--e-column-margin-left:0px;padding:30px 30px 30px 30px;}.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-5916e3d > .elementor-element-populated > .elementor-background-overlay{transition:background 0.3s, border-radius 0.3s, opacity 0.3s;}.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-d533635{text-align:center;color:var( --e-global-color-8a7e426 );width:var( --container-widget-width, 89% );max-width:89%;--container-widget-width:89%;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;}.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-d533635 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0px 0px 25px 0px;}.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-77d2c9f .elementor-button-content-wrapper{flex-direction:row-reverse;}.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-77d2c9f .elementor-button .elementor-button-content-wrapper{gap:6px;}.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-77d2c9f .elementor-button{padding:15px 15px 15px 15px;}.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-77d2c9f > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;}@media(max-width:1024px){.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-d533635{--container-widget-width:610px;--container-widget-flex-grow:0;width:var( --container-widget-width, 610px );max-width:610px;}}@media(max-width:767px){.elementor-2463 .elementor-element.elementor-element-77d2c9f .elementor-button{font-size:14px;}}<\/style>\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2463\" class=\"elementor elementor-2463\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ba3b932 Blog-cont elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ba3b932\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:false}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cbc276e\" data-id=\"cbc276e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f225ef4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f225ef4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In Houston&#8217;s courtrooms, thousands of non-citizens accept plea deals every year without fully understanding that the criminal case in front of them is also an immigration case \u2014 one that could end with their deportation, permanent separation from their families, and a lifetime bar from returning to the country where they built their life. This is crimmigration. And the decisions made before any plea is entered determine everything.<\/p><h2>What Is Crimmigration?<\/h2><p>Crimmigration is the intersection of criminal law and immigration law \u2014 two distinct legal systems that operate simultaneously for non-citizens and can reinforce each other&#8217;s worst consequences. A single case in Harris County can trigger two parallel proceedings: the criminal case before a state court judge, and an immigration case before an immigration judge at the Executive Office for Immigration Review.<\/p><p>The criminal case determines whether you are convicted of a crime. The immigration case determines whether you can remain in the United States. These are different questions, decided under different rules, with different standards of evidence. What matters in one system may mean very little in the other \u2014 and what seems minor in one system can be catastrophic in the other.<\/p><h2>The Three Crimmigration Traps That Catch People Every Day<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4a7a76f Blog-cont elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4a7a76f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_to&quot;:&quot;widget&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_tablet&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cf02491\" data-id=\"cf02491\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a171944 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a171944\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Trap 1: Deferred Adjudication Is Not &#8220;No Conviction&#8221; Under Federal Law<\/h3><p>Under Texas criminal law, successfully completing deferred adjudication means there is no final conviction on your record. Under federal immigration law (8 U.S.C. \u00a7 1101(a)(48)(A)), a &#8220;conviction&#8221; includes any plea of guilty or nolo contendere where conditions of supervision were imposed \u2014 which is exactly what deferred adjudication is. The Fifth Circuit has confirmed that Texas deferred adjudication generally constitutes a &#8220;conviction&#8221; for federal immigration purposes. Accepting deferred adjudication with the expectation that &#8220;it won&#8217;t affect my immigration&#8221; is one of the most dangerous mistakes a non-citizen can make.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-066aeff Blog-cont elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"066aeff\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_to&quot;:&quot;widget&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_tablet&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a4a2650\" data-id=\"a4a2650\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2dc7a2e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2dc7a2e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Trap 2: Texas Expunction Does Not Erase Federal Immigration Records<\/h3><p>A Texas expunction destroys state criminal records and allows you to deny the arrest under state law. But federal immigration agencies \u2014 ICE, USCIS, CBP \u2014 are generally exempt from state expunction orders. They may maintain their own records of the arrest regardless of what a Texas court orders. The Board of Immigration Appeals has consistently held that state rehabilitative measures, including expunctions, do not eliminate the immigration consequences of a conviction in most Fifth Circuit contexts. Getting the plea right before it is entered matters infinitely more than trying to fix it afterward through expunction.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3809138 Blog-cont elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3809138\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_to&quot;:&quot;widget&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_tablet&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8042c3f\" data-id=\"8042c3f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0f55d4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a0f55d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Trap 3: The 364-Day Sentence \u2014 One Day Can Mean Everything<\/h3><p>Under federal immigration law, a sentence of one year or more \u2014 even if entirely suspended, with no actual prison time \u2014 can trigger &#8220;aggravated felony&#8221; status for an offense that involves a &#8220;crime of violence&#8221; or theft. An aggravated felony conviction results in mandatory detention, bars to virtually all forms of relief from removal, and permanent inadmissibility. A sentence of 364 days does not trigger this status. One day is the difference between a person staying in the United States and being permanently deported. Defense attorneys in crimmigration cases negotiate around this threshold explicitly \u2014 but only if they know to ask.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7606d64 Blog-cont elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7606d64\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:false}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-50307d1\" data-id=\"50307d1\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61cdb92 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"61cdb92\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>The Two Categories That Drive Most Immigration Consequences<\/h2><h3>Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude (CIMT)<\/h3><p>A CIMT is an offense the immigration courts have determined to be inherently base, vile, or depraved \u2014 essentially, a crime that reflects a fundamental disrespect for society&#8217;s moral values. There is no statutory list; courts make the determination on a crime-by-crime basis. A single CIMT can make a non-citizen deportable if it was committed within five years of admission and resulted in a sentence of one year or more. Two CIMTs can make a person deportable regardless of when they occurred or what sentence was imposed.<\/p><p>Common examples include: theft, fraud, most assault charges involving intent to cause serious bodily injury, most sex offenses, and drug offenses (in many circuits).<\/p><h3>Aggravated Felonies \u2014 Immigration Law&#8217;s Most Punishing Category<\/h3><p>The term &#8220;aggravated felony&#8221; in immigration law has nothing to do with whether the crime is a felony or whether it is aggravated under state or federal criminal law. It is a specific list of 21 offense categories in 8 U.S.C. \u00a7 1101(a)(43) \u2014 a list that Congress has expanded repeatedly over the decades. A Texas misdemeanor can be an aggravated felony under immigration law. An offense that drew a small fine and no jail time can be an aggravated felony if it falls within the statutory categories.<\/p><p>An aggravated felony conviction triggers: mandatory immigration detention without bond, permanent bar to cancellation of removal, permanent bar to most other forms of relief, and permanent inadmissibility to the United States. There is almost no way back from an aggravated felony conviction in the immigration system.<\/p><h2>Padilla v. Kentucky: Your Constitutional Right to Crimmigration Advice<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-82c4ce5 Blog-cont elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"82c4ce5\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_to&quot;:&quot;widget&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_tablet&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4e3465d\" data-id=\"4e3465d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6278051 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6278051\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Padilla v. Kentucky, 559 U.S. 356 (2010) \u00b7 U.S. Supreme Court<\/strong><\/p><h3>&#8220;The severity of deportation \u2014 the equivalent of banishment or exile \u2014 only underscores how critical it is for counsel to inform their non-citizen clients about deportation consequences.&#8221;<\/h3><p>In Padilla, the Supreme Court held that criminal defense attorneys are constitutionally required \u2014 under the Sixth Amendment \u2014 to advise non-citizen clients of the immigration consequences of a guilty plea before it is entered. Failure to provide this advice, or providing incorrect advice, constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel and can be grounds to vacate the conviction.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ff9bd17 Blog-cont elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ff9bd17\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:false}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f304045\" data-id=\"f304045\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bca4127 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bca4127\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>What Padilla means practically: your defense attorney must ask about your immigration status. They must analyze whether the proposed plea will result in deportation. And they must advise you specifically about those consequences before you enter any plea. An attorney who says &#8220;I don&#8217;t handle immigration, just plead&#8221; is providing constitutionally deficient representation.<\/p><p>If you have already entered a plea without proper immigration advice, Padilla may provide a path to vacating that conviction through a writ of habeas corpus \u2014 though the process is complex and time-sensitive.<\/p><h2>How Immigration Status Affects Crimmigration Exposure<\/h2><p>The same conviction can have dramatically different immigration consequences depending on your current status:<\/p><ul><li>Green card holders: Can be deported for aggravated felonies, CIMTs, drug offenses, firearms offenses, and domestic violence convictions. Long-term residency does not prevent deportation for aggravated felonies \u2014 mandatory removal applies regardless of how long you&#8217;ve lived here.<\/li><li>Visa holders (H-1B, F-1, L-1): A conviction can void visa status and create unlawful presence, triggering removal grounds independent of the offense.<\/li><li>DACA recipients: Any felony or &#8220;significant misdemeanor&#8221; \u2014 including most drug offenses, DWI, domestic violence, and others \u2014 disqualifies from DACA renewal and may trigger removal.<\/li><li>Asylum seekers \/ TPS holders: A &#8220;particularly serious crime&#8221; conviction bars asylum. An aggravated felony is automatically a particularly serious crime. TPS can be revoked for two or more misdemeanor convictions or any felony.<\/li><li>Naturalization applicants: Criminal history \u2014 including arrests without conviction \u2014 is reviewed. A conviction can permanently bar citizenship under the &#8220;good moral character&#8221; requirement.<\/li><\/ul><h2>What a Crimmigration-Informed Defense Looks Like<\/h2><p>A defense attorney who understands crimmigration doesn&#8217;t just negotiate the best criminal outcome \u2014 they structure every negotiation around the immigration consequences as well. This means:<\/p><ul><li>Analyzing every proposed plea not just for criminal penalties but for CIMT classification, aggravated felony status, and mandatory minimum sentencing thresholds<\/li><li>Seeking alternative offense pleas that carry identical or similar criminal consequences but dramatically different immigration consequences<\/li><li>Negotiating sentence lengths explicitly around the 364-day threshold when relevant<\/li><li>Coordinating with immigration counsel when a client has pending applications before USCIS<\/li><li>Pursuing dismissal aggressively before any plea discussion \u2014 a dismissed case has no immigration consequence<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-877e981 Blog-cont elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"877e981\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_to&quot;:&quot;widget&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_tablet&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0f09e15\" data-id=\"0f09e15\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3694d05 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3694d05\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>For non-citizens, the criminal case and the immigration case are the same case.<\/strong><\/p><p>Every decision made at the Harris County courthouse has a direct counterpart in the immigration system. An attorney who treats them as separate cases \u2014 or who doesn&#8217;t understand immigration law well enough to analyze the consequences \u2014 is leaving half of your case undefended.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d14c1d7 Blog-cont elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d14c1d7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:false}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-051715e\" data-id=\"051715e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ea4f3e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ea4f3e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Houston&#8217;s Position at the Center of Crimmigration<\/h2><p>Houston is home to one of the largest immigrant populations in the United States. The Southern District of Texas is one of the country&#8217;s most active federal districts for immigration enforcement. ICE&#8217;s Houston Field Office covers an enormous territory. And Harris County&#8217;s courts process thousands of criminal cases every year involving non-citizens whose immigration status is directly at stake.<\/p><p>If you are not a U.S. citizen and you have been charged with any criminal offense in Houston \u2014 misdemeanor or felony, state or federal \u2014 crimmigration analysis is not optional. It is the difference between understanding your actual situation and walking into a plea negotiation blind.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b95d828 Blog-cont elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b95d828\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_to&quot;:&quot;widget&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_tablet&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ha_eqh_disable_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5916e3d\" data-id=\"5916e3d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d533635 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d533635\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Not a U.S. Citizen Facing Criminal Charges in Houston?<\/span><\/h2><p>Free, confidential consultation. We analyze both the criminal and immigration consequences before any decision is made. Available 24\/7.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-77d2c9f elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"77d2c9f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"tel:(832)%20202%20-%208409\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"jki jki-arrow-up-right-line\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Llame Ahora: (832) 202-8409<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Houston&#8217;s courtrooms, thousands of non-citizens accept plea deals every year without fully understanding that the criminal case in front of them is also an immigration case \u2014 one that could end with their deportation, permanent separation from their families, and a lifetime bar from returning to the country where they built their life. This [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":389,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2463"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2795,"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463\/revisions\/2795"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/389"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salinasdefense.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}