I’m sure we’ve all seen the recent news about green card holders getting extra scrutiny at immigration…I have a friend who has a misdemeanor from 2008 that has been expunged, it’s past the statute of limitations…he has never had any secondary questioning or issues at the border before…would it be safe to travel? would this pose any issues for the citizenship application?
Would love if someone has real legal insight or personal experience!!!
I believe it really depends on if you are lucky or nor lol
Technically, you are good. Even if you travel, it is totally fine, if you have concerns, I highly recommend you to apply for the Global Entry, it will be way faster and more safe.
Not a lawyer, but from what I’ve seen — even expunged misdemeanors can sometimes come up during immigration checks, especially under tighter scrutiny these days.
If he’s never had issues before, he might be fine traveling, but it’s still smart to consult an immigration attorney before any trip, just to be safe.
For the citizenship application, USCIS looks at “good moral character,” and even old/expunged records might need to be disclosed.
Better to be over-prepared than caught off guard at the border.