AILA Releases New Edition of Immigration and Crimes Resource

Washington, DC – The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is proud to release the 10th edition of Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity: A Guide to Representing Foreign-Born Defendants. Authored by criminal immigration law expert Mary E. Kramer, Immigration Consequences is for attorneys seeking to stay up to date on the changes in criminal immigration law practice.

AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson noted, “This book is vital for anyone whose practice touches on the intersection of immigration and criminal law. This one-volume resource is packed full of analysis on all the ways being charged or convicted of a crime can impact applications for visas, permanent residence, naturalization, asylum, and other immigration benefits, as well as Mary Kramer’s best advice on defenses to attempts to remove a noncitizen and the waivers and other relief available in removal proceedings.”

The 10th edition has been updated with coverage of the latest law and policy from the courts and agencies impacting all areas of criminal immigration law. It explores crimes of moral turpitude, aggravated felonies, controlled-substance offenses, firearms offenses, and all other grounds for deporting or denying admission, benefits, waivers, or other relief to noncitizens. The book is also a practical resource. For criminal defense attorneys, it focuses on how to fashion a plea with immigration consequences in mind, and for immigration attorneys, there is instruction on how to prepare applications for clients with criminal records. The book also includes discussion of how noncitizens who have been victimized by criminal activity in the United States can be granted immigration benefits.

The book represents the culmination of Ms. Kramer’s research and work in this area; she was first inspired to write about this topic after hearing that many immigration clients were faced with mandatory detention and deportation when a few small changes made to their plea agreements could have had a tremendous impact on their cases, and their lives.

Mary Kramer has been in private practice in Miami, Florida for more than 30 years. She is a past president of the AILA South Florida Chapter and served on the AILA South Florida Board of Directors for two decades.