Recently, I spoke to a prospective client. She has been a lawful permanent resident or green card holder for the past 18 years. She is married to a U.S. citizen, has two U.S. citizen children, she and her husband have a business. In short, she is upstanding in all respects. Why did she call my office? She was accused of arson. She vehemently denies the charge. However, she is forced to spend a lot of money on defending herself. Not only does she have to hire a criminal defense attorney but she also has to hire an immigration attorney. Arson makes her potentially deportable.
I always urge my clients to naturalize at the earliest opportunity for five reasons:
- You can vote;
- You can enter the U.S. with a U.S. passport and not risk being held up in secondary inspection;
- You can petition relatives or a fiance(e);
- You will not be subject to deportation;
- You will never have to deal with immigration again.