The United States upholds strict immigration laws in every state. It’s vital for every visitor and hopeful new citizen of the country to understand these immigration laws and avoid violating them at all times. Immigration violations can lead to substantial fines and even penalties as severe as imprisonment or deportation. At the Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC, we strive to provide potential clients with the information they need to avoid committing immigration violations.
Most Common Immigration Violations in the United States
Everyone should know the most common immigration violations seen in New York and throughout the United States. In the event you or a loved one is charged with any type of immigration violation, it is essential to seek legal counsel as soon as possible from an experienced New York immigration attorney.
Illegal Entry Into the US
One of the most common immigration violations in the US is illegal entry. While this is most commonly seen along the southern border in states like California, Nevada, and Arizona, many illegal entry violations occur in New York as well. Tens of thousands of people cross the border into the United States illegally by land, sea, and air. In previous years, the “catch and release” program issued citations to illegal entrants in the US, requiring them to appear for court hearings to determine their legal ability to stay. However, this program was ineffective, as there was no method of tracking cited illegal entrants, and most never appeared for their court dates.
Immigration law changed dramatically under the Trump administration. However, the Biden administration plans to relax many of the Trump-era immigration policies. In fact, President Biden released an executive order within his first days in office commanding the border patrol to release detained illegal entrants, including those with verified criminal histories and unclear medical status, a decision met with extreme criticism due to the ongoing health crisis and the risks of unchecked illegal entry along the southern border due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is unclear at this time how the new administration will proceed with its immigration plans.
Visa Overstay
Many visitors to the United States come into the country by securing visas. Every visa has specific rules, including how long the visa allows the visitor to remain in the country. However, many visa holders overstay the time limits of their visas, both intentionally and unintentionally, due to a lack of awareness about how to increase their visa stay limits.
Overstaying a visa can lead to significant penalties. If you realize that you have overstayed your visa for any reason, it’s essential to contact an immigration attorney as soon as possible. Your immigration lawyer could potentially help you secure a waiver to prevent deportation and other penalties for visa overstay.
Marriage Fraud
Most Americans and visitors to the US know that it’s possible for a foreign citizen to remain in the US if they marry a US citizen. While international romance can certainly bloom between citizens of different countries, it is illegal to marry a United States citizen strictly for the purpose of avoiding an immigration law violation. Marriage fraud to avoid immigration law penalties are felonies, punishable by up to $250,000 in fines and up to five years in prison.
Severe Penalties for Documentation Fraud
Immigration to the United States, on either a permanent or temporary basis, requires handling many different types of identification and documentation. Attempting to forge or fraudulently reproduce any type of immigration documentation can lead to severe legal penalties, including up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. If you must submit any type of documentation for immigration purposes, it is essential that you avoid using counterfeited or falsified documentation of any kind.
Find Legal Representation for Immigration Violations Today
In the event you or a loved one is charged with any immigration violation, it is vital to consult an immigration attorney as soon as possible to determine your legal options. Some immigration violations occur due to misunderstanding of US immigration laws, documentation requirements, and state-level policies, while others are committed intentionally.
Legal counsel from an experienced immigration attorney can potentially help you avoid the severe penalties that often follow a conviction. The Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC, can review your legal situation and help you determine your best defenses against immigration violation charges. Contact us today for more information about how our firm can assist you.
6 Responses
Thanks for the info about immigration. My friend is trying to learn more about immigration. I’ll tell my friend to speak with an immigration lawyer.
I appreciated it when you shared that it is best to work with a reliable immigration attorney who can potentially help you secure a waiver to avoid deportation and other penalties for visa overstay. My friend just mentioned the other day that she is worried about her husband who is been violating some rules and he might need to be deported back to their country. I will suggest to her working with a reliable immigration attorney who can help with the case.
Thanks for explaining how they should obey the laws of the visa that they have to reduce any penalties, any overstays. My cousin has been thinking about getting a visa to travel to the US, and she would really like to learn a lot more. He would really like to get some help from a professional in order to be more effective.
My friend from another country wants to stay here for a while. It makes sense that he would want to work into getting a green card. It would be smart to do it correctly so that he doesn’t get any violations.
Thank you for the advice to get an immigration lawyer if you overstayed your visa. My aunt came to stay with me and she realized that her visa expired last week. I think it would be smart to consult a professional who can help us navigate the legal system moving forward.
I agree that it is important to check with a professional if you are accused of breaking immigration laws. It is important to find someone ahead of time to make sure you do your research before choosing. Personally, I would want to read reviews in order to find the best lawyer I can find.