“It’s very important for immigrant communities and noncitizens to know that any involvement with marijuana even if it’s under the lawful conduct of the state they live in – can have negative consequences,” Catherine Gonzalez, a senior staff attorney with the Brooklyn Defender Services, said. She added that immigrants may also be deemed inadmissible due to a prior conviction.

When an immigrant is arrested for possession of marijuana, ICE might be alerted. ICE might then pursue the immigrant, even if the immigrant’s arrest does not lead to a conviction of marijuana possession. The fingerprints of the immigrant are transmitted to the Department of Homeland Security, which can alert ICE of the immigrant’s presence and legal status in the United States.