Bieber May Be Safe From Deportation, But Not All Celebrities Are

A few months ago, Canadian singer Justin Bieber found himself in a bit of hot water after US Customs and Border Patrol detained him and searched his plane, citing the smell of marijuana. As it turns out, they didn’t find any, so The Beebs is safe – for now. Given his growing propensity for some highly dubious behavior, the US government could deport him back to his native Canada on the morality clause in the immigration laws. So far, it looks like he’s safe.

But not all celebrities have been so lucky. We thought it might be interesting to take a look at some of the entertainers who have gotten themselves deported out of the US over the last few decades, proving that even fame and fortune can’t protect you if you break the rules.

• Actress Charlize Theron was deported in 1994, when her work visa ran out.
• Singer Yusaf Islam, originally known as Cat Stevens, was deported in 2004 for suspected ties with terrorists.
• Anna Chapman was deported in 2010 after it was discovered she was a Russian spy.
• Beloved actor Charlie Chaplin wasn’t deported because of his political leanings, per se, but he was denied re-entry to America after a trip away. He didn’t return until 1972.
• Civil rights advocate Marcus Garvey was deported in 1927 for a fraud conviction.
• Mobster Charles “Lucky” Luciano was deported in 1926 on organized crime charges.

In each of these cases (perhaps with the exception of Chaplin or Theron), the deportee had criminal tendencies or convictions.

That’s what makes the situation surrounding Justin Bieber so interesting, from a legal perspective. Between his DUI arrest in Miami and an egg-related vandalism charge in California, the young singer has been partaking in some seriously risky behaviors – especially for a non-citizen. A DUI isn’t usually considered a crime of moral turpitude, but it can be enough to get you deported if you’re in the country without a visa. Justin Bieber has a green card, so he’s in a better position than most.

It does seem, however, that a lot of people are ready for him to leave. There’s even an online petition to deport him back to Canada, and it’s reached more than 100,000 signatures.

As a law firm that handles immigration issues,  we recommend a bit of caution to Mr. Bieber. The government takes crimes by immigrants very seriously.