If you are not a U.S. citizen and you have been accused of a crime, it is extremely important to have a criminal defense attorney who understands federal immigration law and who can advise you of the immigration consequences of any potential guilty plea or guilty verdict. Different crimes have drastically different consequences under immigration law which do not always make sense; state misdemeanors can sometimes be considered "aggravated felonies" under immigration law. The difference between a guilty plea that will automatically get you deported and a guilty plea that will have no negative immigration consequences for you could be as small and technical as a one-day difference on the sentence signed by the state court judge.
