Illegal Alien Smuggling

Illegal Border Crossings - Harboring Undocumented Aliens

Arizona's long border with Mexico is the epicenter of our current national controversy over immigration. Individuals and families risk their lives to enter the United States illegally over the Arizona border, and the route to jobs in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or Denver usually runs through Tucson and Phoenix, where political pressure is increasing to discourage illegal immigration through state criminal laws.

If you have been charged with illegal alien smuggling, or with aiding and abetting immigration violations under either federal or state law, contact the Phoenix criminal defense lawyers at the Weingart Law Firm . Most immigration violations are covered and charged under federal law, but Arizona prosecutors have shown growing interest in using the criminal law to discourage illegal border crossings and the persons who assist or benefit from them. These offenses include:

• Illegal alien smuggling
• Concealing or sheltering noncitizens who have entered the U.S. illegally
• State officials' failure to report undocumented aliens
• Transporting noncitizens within Arizona in furtherance of an immigration violation
• Illegal border crossing resulting in injury or death
• Employing undocumented aliens
• Fraud, false statements, or misrepresentation of citizenship or marital status at a border crossing
• Inducing an alien to enter the U.S. illegally

Immigration violations involving transportation can be punished not only by a criminal conviction and term of imprisonment, but can also result in the forfeiture of motor vehicles, trucks, or aircraft used in the offense.

The Weingart Law Firm has received the AV* rating under Martindale-Hubbell's peer review rating system, and has provided high quality client service on a wide range of difficult criminal defense problems for 20 years. For a free consultation about our ability to protect your interests if accused of involvement in illegal border crossings, contact the Arizona criminal defense attorneys at the Weingart Law Firm in Tempe.

* CV, BV, and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell Ratings evaluate two categories - legal ability and general ethical standards.