When it comes to immigrants facing criminal allegations, you may hear the term moral turpitude. Whether or not a crime falls under this legal concept can have a significant impact on legal proceedings.
Moral turpitude is a concept that has been defined over time, and it remains somewhat ambiguous. However, it generally refers to acts involving “inherent baseness, vileness or depravity.” In a criminal context, this means the offense is considered more serious than a typical crime.
For example, if someone gets into a shoving match with another person during an argument, they may technically be guilty of assault, but this may not be a crime of moral turpitude. The act is relatively minor and does not demonstrate depravity. On the other hand, if they escalate the violence by pulling out a weapon and causing serious injury, the crime may then qualify as one of moral turpitude.
It can lead to deportation
It is crucial for immigrants to understand this concept because criminal actions can sometimes be used as grounds for deportation. However, not every crime results in deportation. Typically, this only occurs if the offense is classified as a crime of moral turpitude.
This is why the specific definition of the alleged crime is so important in legal proceedings. Just because someone violated the law does not necessarily mean they should face the extreme consequence of deportation. If the authorities seek deportation, they must prove that the crime was serious enough to justify it.
Immigrants in this situation need to be fully aware of all their legal rights, as their future in the United States may be at stake.