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:

1. You can vote;
2. You can enter the U.S. with a U.S. passport and not risk being held up in secondary inspection;
3. You can petition relatives or a fiance(e);
4.  You will not be subject to deportation;
5. You will never have to deal with immigration again.