Plight of NY Jet Shows the Importance of Naturalizing

Last year, the NY Jets drafted defensive lineman Kenrick Ellis in the third round of the NFL Draft.  This was a risky move on the part of the NJ Jets because Kenrick Ellis is facing felony assault charges in Virginia.  According to news reports, Kenrick Ellis is not a U.S. Citizen, but a lawful permanent resident or green card holder.  If Mr. Ellis is convicted and sentenced to a year or more in prison, he will be classified under the immigration laws as an aggravated felon.  As an aggravated felon, he will be subject to removal proceedings and the only relief from removal that he could request would be relief under the Convention Against Torture.  He would not be able to ask the Immigration Judge to let him stay based upon hardship to himself or his family.  According to news reports, Mr. Ellis has been in the United States since he was eleven years old.  Mr. Ellis’ immigration problem could have been avoided, if he had simply applied for naturalization when he was eighteen years old.  Sadly, too many people like Mr. Ellis put off applying for naturalization.  For most people who put off filing for naturalization, it is not a problem.  However, for people who get into trouble with the law, it is a serious problem.  The only sure way for a green card holder to protect themselves from deportation is to become a citizen.  Most people think: I’ll never get into trouble, so I don’t need to naturalize.  However, many times people get into trouble without looking for trouble; it just finds them.  This appears to be what happened to Kenrick Ellis.  If Kenrick Ellis were a U.S. citizen and he were convicted, he could resume his NFL career after he finishes his prison sentence.  However, because Kenrick Ellis is not a U.S. citizen, if he is convicted, he will likely be deported and his NFL career will be over.