CORONA VIRUS / COVID-19 ADVISORY

Due to the health risks posed by the Corona Virus tragedy, our office is following the directives of the governor of California in order to minimize the risks to our staff, our clients and our community. Our office will continue to operate fully, as it has thus far, observing our normal schedule, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. We will continue to schedule appointments to meet with clients and will do this via ZOOM or Telephone only.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with any of our lawyers or staff members, please do so by calling our office at 619-291-1112. You can also contact us via e-mail at [email protected]janbejar.com

Thank you for your understanding.

AVISO DE CORONA VIRUS / COVID-19

Debido a los riesgos para la salud planteados por la tragedia del Virus Corona, nuestra oficina está siguiendo las directivas del gobernador de California para minimizar los riesgos para nuestro personal, nuestros clientes y nuestra comunidad. Nuestra oficina seguirá funcionando a pleno, como lo ha hecho hasta ahora, cumpliendo con nuestro horario habitual, de lunes a viernes de 8:30 a.m. a 5:30 p.m. Continuaremos programando citas para reunirnos con los clientes y lo haremos solo a través de ZOOM o por teléfono.

Si desea programar una cita con alguno de nuestros abogados o miembros del personal, hágalo llamando a nuestra oficina al 619-291-1112. También puede contactarnos por correo electrónico a [email protected]

Gracias por su comprensión.

Resolving Immigration ProblemsIn An Honest & Responsible Manner

Crime and immigration: What you need to know

Criminal convictions are a big problem these days for immigrants — even those who are here legally.

In the past, immigration authorities were generally only concerned about serious felonies, like assault or murder, and crimes with moral or ethical implications like fraud or drug dealing.

Today, however, the national mood toward immigration has shifted and authorities are taking virtually any criminal conviction as an opportunity to strip people of their green card status and deport them.

In addition, immigration has its own unique way of looking at charges. What may be only a misdemeanor under a state’s criminal code can be considered an “aggravated felony” for the purposes of immigration. There are things immigration considers an offense even though they don’t involve a criminal charge.

Included in the list of things that are viewed as serious offenses by immigration are things like:

  • Filing a false tax return (which is particularly problematic for people working under a false Social Security number)
  • Failing to file a tax return altogether
  • Simple theft, which can include shoplifting
  • A consensual sexual encounter between someone who is 16 years old and someone who is 17 years old
  • Simple battery, which means anyone who ever gets into a fight
  • Having a bench warrant issued because of a failure to show up for a court appearance
  • Having a concealed weapon
  • Perjury in court

While immigration is supposed to take the totality of your circumstances before penalizing, the odds are high that any offense can open you up to deportation. Even worse, you may be barred from returning to the United States permanently.

If you’re an immigrant who has been accused of a criminal offense, make no mistake: You also need to be concerned about deportation and removal. Make sure that you consult the right legal professional about your situation so that you know what options are available to you.

Source: FindLaw, “How Does a Felony Affect Immigration Status?,” accessed March 16, 2018

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