If an immigrant in California or elsewhere is found to have re-entered the United States illegally after being deported, he or she may face a number of serious consequences. There are those who are denied the ability to remain in the country at their deportation and removal proceedings, though, who do choose to re-enter for various reasons. Regardless, these individuals do have the right to representation as they defend their actions.
If an immigrant is found to be in the United States after he or she has been legally removed from the country, he or she may face federal felony charges. These charges may be filed if that person was previously denied admission, excluded from the United States, deported, removed or had an outstanding order to be removed. Every case is different, so individual details will need to be reviewed before criminal charges are filed.
The penalties for illegal re-entry include fines, imprisonment or both. Those individuals who have previous criminal convictions may face the same penalties but at greater severity. For example, imprisonment for illegal re-entry may be up to two years, while a person who has a criminal conviction on his or her record may be confined for 10 to 20 years, depending on the nature of the crime.
Those in California who — as a result of deportation and removal proceedings — have been forced to leave the country, and have returned and are now facing criminal charges do not have to fight these charges alone. One can seek representation to assist with his or her case. With legal help, one can achieve the best possible outcome for his or her specific circumstances.
Source: FindLaw, “Illegal Reentry into the U.S. After Removal: Crime and Punishment“, Accessed on June 8, 2016