Illegal and legal aliens who suffer convictions for certain deportable offenses face removal from the United States. Nevada state crimes that subject a noncitizen to deportation typically include

1. aggravated felonies,
2. firearms offenses,
3. drug crimes,
4. domestic violence offenses, and
5. crimes involving moral turpitude.

Below, our Las Vegas “criminal defense of immigrants” attorneys discuss the various categories of crimes that can cause an alien in Nevada to be deported from the United States.

• 1. When are non-citizens “deportable” in Las Vegas, NV?
  • 1.1. Legal aliens
  • 1.2. Illegal aliens
• 2. Which crimes trigger deportation?
  • 2.1. Aggravated felonies
  • 2.2. Firearm offenses
  • 2.3. Drug crimes
  • 2.4. Domestic violence offenses
  • 2.5. Crimes involving moral turpitude
  • 2.6. Other deportable offenses, including security crimes
• 3. Can aliens be “deportable” when entering the U.S.?

For information on avoiding deportation, go to our articles on stopping deportation and cancellation of removal. For aliens who have already been convicted of a deportable offense, go to our article on post-conviction relief for immigrants.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforces deportation laws in the U.S.

1. When are non-citizens “deportable” in Las Vegas, Nevada?

Non-citizens may be deported (kicked out) of the U.S. when they violate immigration laws. The circumstances under which they can be deported depends on whether they are in America lawfully or not.

1.1. Legal aliens

Legal aliens (non-citizens with lawful immigration status) can be deported when they get convicted of a “deportable crime.”¹

Note that the term “legal alien” includes all foreigners who are officially permitted to live in the U.S. Legal aliens include legal permanent residents (also called LPRs or green card holders),² refugees,³ asylees,⁴ and visa-holders.

Also note that a deportable offense conviction not only makes the non-citizen subject to removal…but also he/she will also face criminal penalties associated with the offense as any U.S. citizen would. Typical penalties include fines, imprisonment and/or restitution.

1.2. Illegal aliens

Illegal aliens (also called “undocumented aliens”) can be removed from the U.S. just for being on U.S. soil, even if they are otherwise law-abiding. In practice, many undocumented aliens fly “under the radar” and never come to the attention of immigration authorities unless they get arrested.

Non-citizens may be deported from the U.S. when they violate immigration laws. The circumstances under which they can be deported depends on whether they are in America lawfully or not.

2. Which crimes trigger deportation?

Legal aliens in Nevada may face deportation if their convictions were for aggravated felonies, drug crimes, firearm crimes, domestic violence crimes, or crimes of moral turpitude:

2.1. Aggravated Felonies

Legal aliens convicted of aggravated felonies may be deported.⁵ Aggravated felonies comprise several different kinds of Nevada crimes such as:

• murder
• rape
• lewdness with a child under 16 years old
• various theft crimes
• various fraud crimes

Aggravated felonies are usually “intent crimes,” meaning that the prosecution has to prove that the alien committed the crime deliberately in order to be guilty of it.⁶ Therefore, a non-intent crime such as DUI is usually not considered an aggravated felony in Nevada; this is because a driver does not have to mean to drive drunk to be convicted of DUI.

2.2. Drug Crimes

Legal aliens who have been convicted of a controlled substance crime in Nevada face deportation proceedings. Note that merely admitting to being a drug addict or a drug dealer can subject a person to removal even if he/she was never convicted.⁷

The only drug crime that will not make a legal alien vulnerable to deportation is “possession of marijuana for personal use” as long as the marijuana weighed no more than thirty (30) grams.⁸

2.3. Firearm Crimes

Firearms include any type of gun, from pistols to revolvers to rifles.⁹ A conviction of any firearm offense in Nevada renders legal aliens deportable.¹⁰ Therefore, an alien is deportable if he/she is convicted of buying, selling, offering for sale, exchanging, using, owning, possessing, or carrying a concealed gun without a permit, or of attempting or conspiring to do any of these acts.

2.4. Domestic Violence Crimes

Domestic violence is a broad category of crimes that involve physically violent or dangerous encounters between family members, co-parents, in-laws, dating partners, or roommates. Legal aliens in Nevada may face removal from America if they are convicted of such domestic violence-related offenses as the following:

• battery domestic violence,
• stalking,
• child abuse,
• child neglect, or
• child abandonment

An alien may also be found to be deportable for violating a protection order, which is any injunction meant to prevent violent or threatening acts.¹¹

Domestic violence crimes are taken very seriously by immigration judges. Domestic violence is commonly referred to as a “triple whammy” crime because it also may qualify as an aggravated felony as well as a crime of moral turpitude, all of which trigger deportation proceedings.

An alien is deemed deportable if at any time after his/her admission, he/she is convicted of two or more crimes involving moral turpitude.

2.5. Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude (CIMTs)

Perhaps the most confusing aspect of immigration law concerns crimes involving moral turpitude (CIMT), which are included in the category of “general crimes.” Moral turpitude itself is difficult to define, but the concept refers to conduct that is considered to be contrary to community standards of justice, honesty or good morals.

In general, CIMTs are crimes that are particularly heinous and contrary to societal norms. A few examples of common CIMTs in Nevada are:

• murder and attempted murder
• voluntary manslaughter (but not involuntary manslaughter)
• kidnapping
• rape and sexual abuse
• solicitation of prostitution
• some cases of assault and battery, especially with intent to rob, with a deadly weapon, or on an officer
• some instances of burglary
• carrying a concealed weapon with intent to use
• casino marker crimes, especially if the amount owed is $10,000 or more

Legal aliens with a CIMT conviction are deportable. However, if the alien was convicted of only one CIMT, he/she may be safe from deportation unless:

• the CIMT is a felony, AND
• the CIMT was allegedly committed within five years of him/her being admitted into the U.S. (or 10 years in some rare circumstances).

An alien is also deemed deportable if at any time after his/her admission, he/she is convicted of two or more crimes involving moral turpitude.¹²

2.6. Additional and Miscellaneous Removable Crimes

Some other, rarer crimes that legal aliens in Nevada may be removed for include the following:

• high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint¹³
• failing to register as a sex offender¹⁴
• fraud of immigration documents
• changing addresses without notice
• falsely claiming U.S. citizenship

Security Related Crimes

Furthermore, there are security-related crimes that will lead to an alien’s deportation.¹⁵ These include:

• various crimes concerning espionage, sabotage, treason, and sedition in accordance with goods, technology, or sensitive information.(or conspiring to commit these offenses)¹⁶
• criminal activity which leads to a potential risk of public safety or national security
• criminal activity regarding the opposition of, threat to control or overthrow the U.S. Government by means of force or other illegal methods
• terrorist activity

Note that immigration law is full of “gray areas” where it may be unclear as to what behavior qualifies as deportable. Aliens facing deportation should always consult immigration attorneys to help determine whether their past behaviors can be interpreted as legal.

3. Can aliens be “deportable” when entering the U.S.?

Yes, there are individuals who are deemed deportable upon entry into the U.S. These individuals are usually held in custody at the border and promptly removed from the U.S.

Non-citizens who are deportable when trying to enter the U.S. typically fall into one of the following categories:

• Inadmissible aliens: Any alien who at the time of U.S. entry is considered legally inadmissible (such as by having committed drug trafficking or intending to traffic prostitutes);
• In present violation of law: Any alien who is currently in violation of any U.S. law, or whose non-immigrant visa has been revoked;
• In violation of non-immigrant status or condition of entry: Any alien who legally entered as a non-immigrant t has failed to properly maintain that non-immigrant status; and any alien that has failed to comply with terms and conditions that were imposed upon him/her;
• Smugglers: Any alien who knowingly encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or aided any other alien to enter or attempt to enter the U.S. against the law; this act by the alien could have occurred before the date of entry, at the time of his/her entry, or within five (5) years of his/her date of entry.
• Marriage Fraud: Any alien whom the Attorney General determined had entered into a marriage for the sole purpose of obtaining admission into the U.S. or any other type of immigration relief.

Note that the government agency ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) enforces U.S. federal laws that govern border control, trade, customs, and immigration.¹⁷

Legal References