With President Donald Trump’s hard line on immigration, as the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/31/us/prosecutors-dilemma-will-conviction-lead-to-life-sentence-of-deportation.html reports, it may pose difficulties for prosecutors looking to strike plea deals, as a potential repercussion for at least some immigrants could be deportation.
The article points to the case of a 23-year-old undocumented agreement who had gained some protection through a federal program for people who entered the country illegally as children.
The woman was faced with a dilemma if she pleaded guilty to driving under the influence – the potential of losing her protected status and being deported.
That and other cases are prompting a district attorneys are realizing the need to consider potential repercussions for immigrants before closing a plea deal, while some cities and states are redefining how immigrants are handled in the criminal justice system – in hopes of avoiding unintended immigration-related pitfalls.
