Tom,
I'm an Assistant Chief Counsel, which basically means I am an ICE trial attorney. I am in court virtually every day doing removal proceedings and a few times a week handling merits hearings for those aliens that are eligible for relief. You bring up a hot topic; the U.S. Supreme Court just handed down the Padilla case and it basically says that aliens are entitled to be advised of the immigration consequences of a conviction or plea agreement. Failure to at least inform the alien that there may be some consequences and that they should seek out an immigration attorney for advice is grouds to have the conviction vacated. This decision is going to open the flood gates for motions to reopen based on ineffective assistance counsel. We are in the process of starting up a program to advise/inform state prosecutors of this decision.
DigitalDan,
ICE removes about 380,000 illegal aliens a year.....still not enough though.
