Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity: A Guide to Representing Foreign-Born Defendants
| Release Date: 06/16/2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Format | Size | ISBN |
| Print* | 1103 pages | 978-1-57370-825-8 |
| eBook | 1103 pages | 978-1-57370-826-7 |
Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity: A Guide to Representing Foreign-Born Defendants, 11th ed., by Mary E. Kramer is the definitive, go-to resource for attorneys navigating the complex intersection of criminal and immigration law in an era of rapidly evolving enforcement policies.
Fully updated, this new edition delivers critical insights into the most pressing developments affecting noncitizens—including those without criminal histories—and equips practitioners with practical strategies to effectively represent clients facing detention, removal, or adverse immigration consequences.
What’s New in the 11th Edition
- Expanded analysis of detention law : In-depth coverage of “non-criminal mandatory detention” under INA §235(b), including a clear breakdown of statutory provisions, updated case law, and guidance on habeas corpus
- Critical updates on bond and detention practices: Includes a historical and practical examination of automatic and discretionary stays—and the increasing use of automatic stay authority by ICE
- Enhanced discussion of supervision and removal: Covers orders of supervision, revocation, and third-country removals, with practical implications for litigation strategy
- New developments in denaturalization cases: Expanded analysis of DOJ efforts and circuit-level distinctions affecting removal based on post-naturalization convictions
- Updated controlled substance analysis: Explores evolving federal definitions (including cocaine and marijuana), DEA regulatory changes, and the categorical approach across circuits
- Revised waivers, defenses, and relief strategies: Addresses recent BIA decisions narrowing eligibility and limiting immigration judge discretion
- Comprehensive updates on U, T, and S visas: Includes new insights into wait times, eligibility challenges, and strategic considerations for victim-based relief
- Expanded guidance on plea negotiations: Practical, experience-driven advice for criminal defense and immigration attorneys collaborating on plea agreements
Why This Book Matters
As immigration enforcement intensifies and detention practices expand, understanding the immigration consequences of criminal activity—and noncriminal conduct—is more critical than ever.
This authoritative guide provides:
- Clear, practitioner-focused explanations of complex statutes and case law
- Strategic insight for litigation, plea negotiations, and client counseling
- Timely analysis of enforcement trends affecting detention and removal
Whether you are an immigration attorney, criminal defense lawyer, or legal professional advising noncitizen clients, this indispensable resource offers the tools you need to navigate today’s challenging legal landscape with confidence.
*Interested in a bulk purchase? Contact us to receive a bulk discount when purchasing 5 or more copies.
Mary Elizabeth Kramer is a leading authority on criminal immigration issues. In private practice for over 35 years, her office is in Miami, but her cases take her to courts, offices, and jails across the United States. Her practice is limited to immigration law, with a concentration on cases involving individuals charged with crime or already convicted and facing removal consequences. She provides immigration law perspective to individuals (and their defense attorneys) who are facing difficult plea choices or cooperating with law enforcement. She also handles asylum cases and family visa work, including consular processing and waivers. On any given day, you may find Ms. Kramer sitting at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office with an adjustment or naturalization applicant, at the immigration court, asylum office, federal court, or in a jail or detention center. In her research and writing, Mary brings to the table practical daily experience on real cases, large and small. Writing and public speaking are her passions, but at the end of the day, she is a lawyer—just like the attorneys who comprise her reading audience—and she understands what advocates need to know and how to explain and apply the law in understandable terms.
Mary Kramer is a past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) South Florida Chapter and past chair of the AILA National U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Liaison Committee. She recently served several years on AILA’s Department of State Liaison Committee, which provided insight into all areas of the law and challenged her beyond that criminal/immigration comfort zone.
In her local community, Mary is chair of the AILA South Florida Enforcement and Removal Committee, advocating for the Bar regarding policies and standards in detention centers and deportation offices. Mary Kramer is a former president of the board of directors of Catholic Legal Services, Inc. (CLS), the largest legal services provider to low-income individuals in the southwest region of the United States. In 2023, Archbishop Wenski of Miami acknowledged her with an award as a founding member with the longest service on the CLS board.
In 2015, the AILA national community honored Mary Kramer with the prestigious Edith Lowenstein Award for advancement in the practice of immigration law—perhaps the highest award given in the immigration law community.
In 2002, Mary was a founding attorney of the AILA South Florida Legal Assistance Project, a pro bono project serving the Miami immigration court. In November of that year, she and her mentor/friend, Alsie Lomangino (may she rest in peace), received the U.S. Attorney General’s Meritorious Public Service Award based on their work with this project.
