Fact check: What are the grounds for deporting a lawful permanent resident under US immigration law?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) can be deported under several specific grounds established in US immigration law:

Criminal Grounds:

• Crimes involving moral turpitude - defined as conduct that "shocks the public conscience" and is "inherently base, vile, or depraved, contrary to the rules of morality" ^[1]
• Serious violent crimes including rape, murder, and drug trafficking ^{[2] [3]}
• Controlled substance abuse and related offenses ^[4]

Immigration-Related Violations:

• Immigration fraud, including marriage fraud ^{[2] [4] [3]}
• Overstaying visa terms or working without proper authorization ^[2]
• Extended absence from the United States - typically more than a year without proper documentation ^[4]

National Security Grounds:

• Activities deemed against national interest or posing threats to national security or foreign policy interests, as outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act ^[4]
• The Trump administration utilized Cold War-era laws to deport green card holders citing foreign policy interests ^[2]

Legal Process:

The government must provide proof to deport a green card holder, and individuals have the right to plead their case in court ^[3]. Common procedural violations leading to deportation include failure to appear for immigration proceedings and violation of immigration status conditions ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

Defenses Available:

The analyses reveal that lawful permanent residents have legal defenses against deportation, including asylum or Convention Against Torture protection, cancellation of removal, and adjustment of status ^[5]. This represents a significant omission from the basic question about deportation grounds.

Administrative vs. Judicial Processes:

The question doesn't address the distinction between expedited removal processes conducted by immigration officers versus full hearings before immigration judges ^[6]. This procedural context significantly affects how deportation cases proceed.

Political Implementation Variations:

The analyses show that different administrations implement deportation policies differently. The Trump administration specifically targeted individuals who were "de-legalized" by administrative actions rather than focusing solely on criminals ^[7]. This suggests that political actors and immigration enforcement agencies benefit from broader interpretations of deportation grounds.

Wrongful Detention Issues:

One analysis mentions green card holders being wrongfully detained for extended periods (nearly 50 days in one case), indicating that the system can impact legal residents beyond just those who meet deportation criteria ^[1].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself is factually neutral and appropriately framed as an informational inquiry about legal grounds for deportation. However, the question's simplicity could lead to incomplete understanding of the complex legal landscape surrounding permanent resident deportation.

Key areas where the basic question might mislead:

• It doesn't acknowledge the legal protections and due process rights available to permanent residents facing deportation proceedings
• It omits the distinction between different types of removal proceedings and their varying levels of judicial oversight
• It doesn't address how policy enforcement varies between different political administrations, which significantly affects how these legal grounds are applied in practice

The question would benefit from acknowledging that deportation grounds exist within a broader legal framework that includes both protections for permanent residents and varying enforcement priorities that change with different administrations.