Non-citizens face different set of rules even after they are acquitted of a crime

Ianus · 04-08-2009, 05:56 PM

I guess the struggle is never over until we all become naturalized.The reason I brought this up is to showcase how truly vulnerable the system can make everyone,even after the Dream act has passed..

Quote:

In addition to facing questionable conditions in US detention centers, immigrants also contend with an entirely different set of rules when accused of crimes, even if they’re found not guilty of committing them. As we reported yesterday, a young student named Youssef Megahed was acquitted of carrying low-grade explosives by a jury of his peers in a federal trial. But just three days later, he was taken into custody by immigration authorities and is being held on the same charges he was already cleared of. Although Megahed is in the country legally, and has all his papers in place, he is not a citizen. It will be an immigration judge – not a jury of his peers – that will decide his fate for the second time on the same charges. And though the prospect of jail time is scary enough for anyone being charged with a crime, the prospect of deportation is what’s at stake for non-citizens like Megahed and countless others. And even if a non-citizen, but lawful resident is acquitted of certain charges, they may still face something called inadmissibility, which is when the government decides someone who was charged but clearly exonerated of any crime, is simply not allowed to return to the U.S. if they’ve traveled abroad. Aura Bogado speaks with Christopher Nugent, Senior Pro-Bono counsel for Holland and Knight in Washington, D.C about the differences non-citizens face when it comes to criminal proceedings.

deftbeta · 04-08-2009, 06:25 PM

Man you're just gonna have to watch what you do but it'll still be better than the present state. Just 'cos one will become legal will not entitle him/her to make dumb mistakes. As ex-DREAMies when and if DREAM Act passes you still will have to walk on eggshells with regards to the law, we cannot afford to see headlines highlighting our mis-steps much less risk any newly earned freedom and benefits. I mean our main objective is the ability to pursue our academic and professional dreams so if and when DREAM passes we must be careful about our decisions, we're grown ass men and women and there'd be more at stake.

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Non-citizens face different set of rules even after they are acquitted of a crime