Nearly a year ago, I posted two blogs, this and this, about a case from the Board of Immigration Appeals, Matter of Almanza-Arenas, which reversed precedent in the Ninth Circuit regarding showing eligibility for Cancellation of Removal for Certain Permanent Residents, INA § 240A(a). This Cancellation of Removal, there are two others, allows permanent residents to keep their permanent residence status after committing removable offenses or engaging in conduct that renders one removable. To be eligible, an alien must have at…

Immigration lawyers involved in advising aliens who have been arrested and their criminal defense attorneys have honed skills in trying to mitigate the effects of a criminal conviction on immigration status. In other words, attorneys try to find ways for an alien to plead guilty so he or she will not be deportable, or if he or she cannot avoid deportation, he or she will at least be able to ask for relief (forgiveness) so as not to be deported….