Moones Mellouli came to the United States legally and became a lawful permanent resident. He went to college and attained multiple advanced educational degrees and became a professor. In 2009 he was arrested for DUI and the police found Adderall pills in his sock. Adderall is a drug that requires…
A Florida court recently issued a decision that will have wide-ranging effects on how non-citizen criminal defendants approach their criminal cases. This decision makes it clear that every criminal defendant who is not a U.S. citizen should strongly consider hiring or consulting with an experienced immigration attorney before they even…
Every day thousands of people find themselves in criminal court having been accused of committing a crime. While criminal court can be a scary, intimidating and rough place to find oneself, it is particularly troublesome for criminal defendants who are not U.S. citizens. In addition to facing prison time or…
Recent Published BIA Decisions: Matter of Hernandez, 26 I&N Dec. 464 (BIA 2015); The Board held that in order for a crime to be considered a crime involving moral turpitude (CIMT) a criminal recklessness mens rea coupled with no actual physical harm was sufficient to meet the definition of a…
The Board of Immigration Appeals recently published a decision that provided guidance on when state statutory rape statutes are considered sexual abuse of a minor aggravated felonies. In Matter of Esquivel-Quintana, 26 I&N Dec. 469 (BIA 2015), the Board held that in order for a consensual sex offense involving a…
The Board of Immigration Appeals recently published a decision wherein they addressed the level of harm required for a conviction to constitute a crime involving moral turpitude (CIMT). In Matter of Hernandez, 26 I&N Dec. 464 (BIA 2015) the Board held that in order for a crime to be considered…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it has extended and re-designated Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and extended employment benefits to Syrian nationals in the United States on F-1 Student Visas. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano originally designated Syria for TPS protection on March 29, 2012. At that…
Last week, President Obama announced that he would begin the process to normalize relations with Cuba: “President Obama on Wednesday ordered the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Cuba and the opening of an embassy in Havana for the first time in more than a half-century as he vowed to…
The Board of Immigration Appeals recently issued a published decision that will effect many non-citizens who have been in the United States for many years. The Board’s decision in Matter of Velasquez-Cruz, 26 I&N Dec. 458 (BIA 2014) held that a non-citizen who is arrested and convicted of illegal entry…
John Gihon, partner with Lasnetski Gihon Law (SLG) will appear on the television show “Orlando Matters,” at 7 a.m. this Saturday, December 6, 2014. The program will air on WRBW-Channel 65 in Orlando. Fox 35 Orlando’s John Brown will host the show where current SLG attorney and former Department of…