Texas DWI Deportation Warning
No more “three strikes” law for deportation
Almost everyone knows one of the basic rules of baseball is “Three strikes, you’re out”! For the longest time, Texas DWI deportation (and some other areas of the law) operated on the same premise. A person is not subject to deportation until their third “strike” (meaning their first felony DWI). Unknown to most of us, this has started changing in the shadows. Immigration has now started to deport people for a second DWI conviction instead of waiting for a third. There does not seem to be any clear rhyme or reason to this change. But, it is a change that may affect many people in the DFW area. Even worse, you may not know about the deportation until your DWI probation is over! Just imagine doing everything the State and the Court told you to do just to finish probation and have the police deport you.
There is one huge exception to this rule, which goes back to when the law operated under the “three strikes” premise. ANY conviction for a drug-based Texas DWI (any drug aside from alcohol, including prescription medication) is an AUTOMATIC deportation. If you are searching for a “DWI lawyer near me”, know that Mimi handles most of North Texas, including the following counties: Tarrant, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Grey, Hood, Wise, Johnson, and Parker. As part of representing you on your case, Mimi will conduct a full case evaluation and discuss whether your immigration or residency status may be at risk.
Even if you are not subject to deportation, there are other consequences of a Texas DWI. For example, a single DWI can affect your ability to obtain permanent resident status in the United States.
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 26.13 requires courts to “admonish” a defendant of the consequences of a guilty plea. These admonishments include the possibility of deportation. Unfortunately, courts need only admonish on the possibility of deportation, not state that the defendant will, in fact, face deportation.
More about Mimi Coffey
When people look for a Top DWI Attorney or Best DWI Attorney, they look for experience, certification, and respect in the legal community. Mimi Coffey is a nationally-renowned trial attorney, board-certified in DWI by the NCDD. She has been practicing for over 24 years and is an author of multiple DWI Defense textbooks. She is also a national and state-wide lecturer on the law.
The Coffey Firm handles a wide variety of cases, including Unlawful Carrying Weapon (UCW), Assault (including family violence), Theft, and Possession charges.
Mimi is also listed on several “best” directory listings such as DWI Lawyers for Wise County, DWI Lawyer Tarrant County, DWI attorney Dallas County, DWI attorneys Collin County and DWI attorneys Parker County. Mimi is a caring DWI Lawyer in DFW, She is also involved in the Texas Tech School of Law foundation and enjoys using the skills she has developed to give back to the community.