Permanent residence is not the same as citizenship

A green card gives you the right to live and work in the United States indefinitely, but it is a status granted under the immigration laws, and those laws list specific grounds on which a permanent resident can be placed in removal proceedings. A naturalized citizen cannot be deported (citizenship can only be taken away through denaturalization, which requires proof of fraud in the naturalization process itself). This difference is one of the strongest practical reasons to naturalize as soon as you are eligible.

The main grounds of deportability for green card holders

• Criminal convictions. Aggravated felonies (a broad immigration-law category that includes some offenses that are misdemeanors under state law), crimes involving moral turpitude committed within five years of admission or two such crimes at any time, controlled substance offenses (with a narrow exception for a single possession of a small amount of marijuana), firearms offenses, and domestic violence, stalking, and child abuse convictions.
• Fraud or misrepresentation in obtaining the green card or any immigration benefit, including a marriage entered into to evade immigration law.
• Abandonment of residence by living outside the United States, even without a formal finding, if a border officer concludes you no longer intend to reside here.
• Failure to report a change of address within 10 days (Form AR-11). This is rarely the sole basis for removal, but it is a legal requirement.
• Security-related grounds, including terrorism-related activity and certain false claims to U.S. citizenship or unlawful voting.

What removal proceedings look like

A permanent resident cannot simply be put on a plane. ICE or CBP issues a Notice to Appear, and the case is heard by an immigration judge. You have the right to a lawyer at your own expense, to present evidence, and to apply for relief such as cancellation of removal for permanent residents if you have held a green card for at least five years, resided in the United States for seven years after admission, and have no aggravated felony conviction. Decisions can be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals and, in some cases, to federal courts.

Enforcement priorities can change

The grounds of deportability are set by statute and do not change from one administration to the next, but enforcement priorities do. Since 2025, federal enforcement has expanded, and permanent residents with old convictions, long absences, or unresolved immigration issues have faced more scrutiny at ports of entry and in naturalization interviews. If any of these situations applies to you, speak with an immigration attorney before traveling abroad or filing an N-400.

How to protect your status

Keep your green card valid and carry it; file your taxes as a resident every year; report address changes; avoid trips longer than six months and get a re-entry permit for any trip approaching a year; never vote in a federal, state, or local election that requires citizenship; never claim to be a citizen on any form; and consult a lawyer before pleading guilty to any offense, no matter how minor it seems, because the immigration consequences can be far larger than the criminal penalty.

Last reviewed and expanded by the USCitizenTestPractice Editorial Team in September 2026, based on the USCIS Policy Manual, the official 2025 civics test materials, and current USCIS fee and form instructions. This is an independent study resource, not legal advice.