Plain-English summary
Court to decide when a lawful permanent resident counts as 'not admitted' for deportation after certain crimes
The Court will decide whether and when a lawful permanent resident (LPR) may be treated as “not admitted” and therefore ineligible for admission under the immigration statute after committing or being convicted of certain crimes. The case concerns how the statutory language in 8 U.S.C. §§ 1101(a)(13)(C) and 1182(a)(2) applies to an LPR with a criminal record and the immigration consequences that follow.
Why this matters
A decision will affect when lawful permanent residents with criminal histories can be placed in removal proceedings or denied reentry based on a statutory inadmissibility rule. That matters for LPRs’ rights at the border and during travel, the government’s power to remove residents for certain crimes, and how immigration law balances criminal convictions against long-standing ties to the United States.
Who may feel it
- Lawful permanent residents (green card holders) with prior criminal convictions
- Immigration lawyers and criminal defense attorneys representing noncitizen clients
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection and immigration enforcement agencies
- Families and employers of affected LPRs
Key questions
- Does 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(13)(C) treat a lawful permanent resident who has been convicted of certain offenses as "not admitted" for purposes of the inadmissibility provisions in § 1182(a)?