Frequently Asked Questions About Deportation in New York

A Notice to Appear in U.S. Immigration Court is a document issued by the Department of Homeland Security that starts removal proceedings. If you’ve received one, it is important to verify the date given for your court appearance as in some cases, the dates are inaccurate. If you miss your court date, you could be immediately deported.

Depending on the circumstances, deportation could take hours or it could take years. How soon deportation takes place depends on many factors including your country of origin, whether you were detained at the border or already in the country, if a final removal order has been issued, and many other factors.

Depending on how long you’ve been in the country and your immigrant status, you may be able to get a waiver to stay in this country. It may also be possible to have the proceeding canceled if your removal would cause hardship to family members. In other cases, you can apply to adjust your status if you are marrying a U.S. citizen. However, you would need to prove to immigration authorities that your marriage is based on an authentic relationship and not just an attempt to avoid deportation.

Readmission depends upon your specific circumstances and why you were originally deported. A five, 10, or 20 year ban may have been imposed against you, preventing you from reapplying for admission to the U.S.. Sometimes individuals are never allowed back into the United States.

There are rare cases where the citizenship of naturalized a citizen can be revoked, making them vulnerable to deportation. It can occur if it’s discovered a person lied about their identity, involvement in criminal activity, or other specific items during the naturalization process. In some cases, an individual may be granted citizenship due to military service, and subsequently dishonorably discharged, putting their citizenship in jeopardy.