With the Trump administration heavily vetting entries into the country, trouble-free travel is not guaranteed for anyone except US citizens – and even they are rumored to have difficulties sometimes with DHS. If you are a nonimmigrant, you can be denied entry on discretionary grounds. If a green card holder, you could be kept at the port of entry or even placed in detention while Customs and Border Protection officers look over your records. We do not encourage unnecessary travel at this time, especially for nonimmigrants, but also for immigrants with checkered criminal histories. Due to the limitations of the Lawyers.com Forums, Alan Lee & Arthur Lee, Esqs.’ (the "Firm") participation in responding to questions posted herein does not constitute legal advice, nor legal representation of the person or entity posting a question. No Attorney/Client relationship is or shall be construed to be created hereby. The information provided herein by the Firm is general, and requires that the poster obtain specific legal advice from an attorney. The poster shall not rely upon the information provided herein as legal advice nor as the basis for making any decisions of legal consequence.
If the cases were actually dismissed and you were not convicted, that is very different from having a criminal conviction. But immigration looks at the exact court disposition and how the case was resolved, not just that it was “cleared.”
Before you travel, you should have an attorney review the certified court records for each case and your current immigration status. Some dismissed cases do not cause problems, but others can still raise issues at reentry depending on the facts and any plea or program involved.
I would not recommend leaving the U.S. until your records are reviewed. Traveling with any criminal history, even old and dismissed, should be evaluated first.
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