Aggravated Felonies

Chapter

§3.1 I. Introduction
§3.2 II. Elements of the Aggravated Felony Deportation Ground
§3.3 A. Alienage
§3.4 1. United States Citizens
§3.5 2. Nationals of the United States
§3.6 3. American Indians Born in Canada
§3.7 B. Conviction
§3.8 C. Conviction Must be for a Crime
§3.9 D. After the Effective Date
§3.10 E. After Admission
§3.11 1. Statutory Definition of "Admission"
§3.12 2. Any Admission
§3.13 3. Adjustment as Admission
§3.14 4. Returning LPRs Seeking Admission
§3.15 F. Of Attempt, Conspiracy, or Commission of a Substantive Criminal Offense
§3.16 1. Attempt
§3.17 2. Conspiracy
§3.18 3. Substantive Offenses
§3.19 G. That Falls Within a Generic Aggravated Felony Category
§3.20 H. Violation of the Law of a Listed Jurisdiction
§3.21 1. Listed Jurisdictions
§3.22 a. Federal Convictions
§3.23 b. State Convictions
§3.24 c. Foreign Convictions
§3.25 i. Foreign Conviction Date
§3.26 ii. Special Rules for Foreign Limitation Convictions
§3.27 2. Unlisted Jurisdictions
§3.28 a. Violations of Local Law
§3.29 b. Violations of Indian Tribal Law
§3.30 c. Convictions Under Military Law
§3.31 III. The Nature of a Conviction
§3.32 A. Statutory Definition of "Conviction"
§3.33 B. Dispositions That Do Not Constitute Convictions
§3.34 1. Deferred Prosecution
§3.35 2. Deferred Verdict
§3.36 3. Deferred Sentence
§3.37 4. Defective Convictions
§3.38 C. Acquittal
§3.39 D. Dismissal Without Plea or Admission
§3.40 E. Conviction by Court of Competent Jurisdiction
§3.41 F. Juvenile Adjudications
§3.42 G. Convictions in Absentia
§3.43 H. Finality of Conviction
§3.44 1. Direct Appeal
§3.45 2. Slow Plea Dispositions
§3.46 3. Late Appeal
§3.47 I. Post-Conviction Relief from Conviction
§3.48 IV. Unlisted Non-Substantive Offenses
§3.49 A. Accessory After the Fact
§3.50 B. Aiding and Abetting
§3.51 C. Facilitation
§3.52 D. Misprision of a Felony
§3.53 E. Solicitation
§3.54 F. Other Non-Substantive Offenses
§3.55 V. Aggravated Felony Sentences
§3.56 A. Classification of Aggravated Felonies Based on Sentence
§3.57 B. Aggravated Felonies Based on Felony Level of Offense
§3.58 1. Aggravated Misdemeanors
§3.59 2. Felony Requirement for Crimes of Violence Under 18 U.S.C. 16(b)
§3.60 3. Felony Requirement for Drug Trafficking Aggravated Felonies
§3.61 C. Offenses that are Aggravated Felonies Only if 1 Year Sentence is Imposed
§3.62 1. Definition of Sentence Imposed
§3.63 2. Techniques for Avoiding a 1-Year Sentence
§3.64 D. Aggravated Felonies Regardless of Sentence
§3.65 E. Aggravated Felonies Defined in Terms of Potential Sentence
§3.66 F. Post-Conviction Relief from Sentence

§ 3.24 c. Foreign Convictions

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Congress specifically listed convictions for violating foreign law as aggravated felonies, but only if the term of imprisonment imposed for the foreign criminal conviction was completed within the previous 15 years.[153] See § 3.25, infra.

There are some limitations upon the recognition of foreign convictions for immigration purposes. See § 3.26, infra. There may be arguments that foreign convictions are not included in some other grounds of deportation or inadmissibility,[154] but they are specifically listed under some circumstances in the aggravated felony definition.

[153] INA § 101(a)(43), 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(43) (second to last sentence).

[154] See Small v. United States, 544 U.S. 385 (Apr. 26, 2005) (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), which prohibits a person who has been “convicted in any court” from possessing a firearm, encompasses only domestic, not foreign, convictions), abrogating United States v. Atkins, 872 F.2d 94, 96 (4th Cir. 1989), and United States v. Winson, 793 F.2d 754, 757-759 (6th Cir. 1986).