The immigration consequences resulting from a conviction is a frequent issue considered by defense attorneys in Los Angeles Criminal Courts. The conventional wisdom is that criminal defendants who are not citizens may face deportation if convicted for a criminal offense, felony or misdemeanor. However deportation is not automatic, nor predictable. The reality is that the more serious the criminal offense, and greater the number of prior convictions, then the greater the likelihood that INS will begin deportation proceedings in immigration court. Sometimes however even a less serious criminal conviction leads to deportation, such a Driving Under the Influence offense (California Vehicle Code Section 23152(a)) -- which is quite atypical.A recent Court of Appeal decision addressed this issue, holding that the U.S. Attorney General may decide by adjudication that a non-citizen's individual crime was Tagged as: california criminal laws, immigration consequences, violent crimes defense