Police departments in Texas and around the country routinely use trained dogs to sniff the air around vehicles during traffic stops, and the courts have ruled that this does not violate rights protected by the Fourth Amendment. One of the most important rulings...
Sometimes, Social Security fraud isn't found out about until years after the fact, and thousands of dollars have been paid out already. The Social Security Administration estimated that during the 2019 fiscal year, the government sent out about $7.9 billion in...
Texas upholds very strict drug laws mandated by the federal government. When it comes to federal criminal defense, understanding the penalties for a drug offense can help you understand a potential sentence. Even first-time drug offenses come with strict mandatory...
Family-based immigration helps thousands of people enter the United States every year. Many of these people come to reconnect with a spouse who traveled before them or to finally marry a fiance who is a permanent resident or citizen. Despite your best intentions,...
Naturalization is the process an immigrant undergoes to become a U.S. citizen. Usually, naturalization takes several years to complete. In addition to filing forms, the applicant will need to take a test. For people in Texas who want to become U.S. citizens,...
A crime involving moral turpitude, or CIMT, is a very serious matter and can put the immigration status of Texas migrants in danger due to the gravity of these criminal charges. These crimes can result in deportation and a permanent ban from the U.S. In addition, a...
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services deem that to become a citizen of the United States, an immigrant living in Texas, or anywhere else in the country, will have to prove they have Good Moral Character (GMC). On their application, the person must prove that...
When police officers in Texas and around the country conduct searches without first obtaining a warrant, the evidence they discover is not usually admissible in court because rights protected by the U.S. Constitution were violated in order to obtain it. This is known...
Law enforcement agencies in Texas use canines trained to alert to the presence of illegal drugs. This alert authorizes searches of people's vehicles and other private property. When a person refuses to consent to a search, police officers have the option to bring in a...
After four years of immigration crackdowns under the Trump administration, immigrants in Texas who feared deportation because of criminal charges can rest a little easier. Last February, the Biden administration issued directives rolling back arrests and enforcements...