Clean Slate Relief: The Impact on Criminal Record Sharing and Immigration

Crimes
Enforcement
Publication Date

This memorandum seeks to demystify the contours of criminal record sharing across state boundaries, outlining some of the main structures and laws that govern criminal record sharing, particularly focusing on sharing with federal immigration agencies. We examine how agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) use state criminal record sharing in their enforcement efforts to target noncitizens, and how United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) uses state records to deny immigration benefits.