Under a new House bill, noncitizens convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) may be denied a visa or face deportation. The bill passed by a wide margin, with 274-150 votes for and against.

In some cases, driving under the influence was already a basis for deportation. However, the bill addresses conflicts between state and federal law. For some jurisdictions, past DUI convictions were not considered for an immigration case. With this bill, that is no longer the case. Further, all misdemeanor DUI convictions are now grounds for denial of entry or deportation.

The House bill now moves to the Senate for voting. The President would need to sign the Bill before it becomes a law. We will have to wait and see if this is the final version of the bill or if additional changes are made during the Senate review.

If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, please contact us. We actively monitor ongoing updates to immigration policy and work with our clients every step of the way.