This chapter discusses the immigration consequences resulting from different convictions.  For purposes of immigration law, the definition of "conviction" is not intuitive.  It is complex and has a different meaning than its use in common parlance or in Washington law.

There are two prongs to the immigration law definition of conviction.  The Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) states:

The term “conviction” means, with respect to an alien,[1] a formal judgment of guilt of the alien entered by a court or, if adjudication of guilt has been withheld, where—

·         A judge or jury has found the alien [noncitizen] guilty or the alien has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or has admitted sufficient facts to warrant a finding of guilt, and

·         The judge has ordered some form of punishment, penalty, or restraint on the alien’s liberty to be imposed.[2]