The answer is probably yes, unless your crime involved a small amount of marijuana for your own personal use.
Under the The Immigration and Nationality Act, you may be deported if at any time after admission, you have been convicted of violating, conspiring or attempting to violate any law or regulation of a State, the United States, or a foreign country relating to a controlled substance as defined under federal law, other than a single offense involving possession for your own use of 30 grams or less of marijuana. Furthermore, the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services may deport drug abusers or addicts.
If you are charged with a crime, contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately. An attorney can review your options to determine your best possible defense. Because immigration laws are rapidly changing, you should also work with an immigration attorney to help insure that any action you take does not have unintended consequences. If you have a prior conviction in Chicago, you may be able to expunge or seal your case more quickly than you could in a suburban court district. However, the state may object.
If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.
(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)
