A conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude (CIMT) may or may not hurt an immigrant, depending on a number of factors set out in the Immigration and Nationality Act: the number of CIMT convictions, the potential and actual sentence, when the person committed or was convicted of the offense, and the person’s immigration situation. A single CIMT conviction might cause no damage, or it might cause a variety of penalties ranging from deportability to ineligibility for relief to mandatory detention.
This Advisory collects and discusses all the statutory provisions that govern when a CIMT conviction has consequences, with an emphasis on Ninth Circuit cases and California offenses. This June 2021 update includes an analysis of several recent court decisions.
