You get pulled over by the police on your way home from work, and you are given a traffic ticket. Maybe you were in a hurry and you rolled through a stop sign, or perhaps you were going slightly over the speed limit. You have to pay a fine, and you are going to get points on your driver’s license.
Your concern is whether this is this going to affect your immigration status. Have you increased the chances of being deported just because of something as simple as a driving mistake?
Minor traffic infractions should not affect immigration status
The good news is that something like a minor traffic infraction should not lead to deportation or otherwise jeopardize your immigration status moving forward.
For one thing, in Kentucky, a minor traffic infraction is not actually a criminal offense. It is a civil offense. There likely is a fine involved and other ramifications, but it does not create a criminal record the same way something like shoplifting would.
Additionally, traffic offenses are not crimes of moral turpitude. It is typically these more serious crimes that can put someone’s immigration status in jeopardy. Examples could include armed robbery or assault. They are much more serious than accidentally going over the speed limit.
That said, if there are other issues with the traffic stop, the stop could result in one or more criminal charges. Driving under the influence is a criminal offense, for example.
It is natural to have questions about how any interaction with law enforcement can impact you as an immigrant. It can be helpful to work with an experienced attorney to protect your rights.