Bieber’s current status is that of a legal resident. The singer is living here on what is known as an “O-1” visa. The O-1 visa is handed out to those with “extraordinary abilities” across a range of professions, including athletics, science and the arts. Whether Bieber’s singing qualifies as “extraordinary” is a matter of opinion, it’s clear that he is in the United States on a valid visa.
Those who hold O-1 visas typically must be found guilty of an aggravated felony or another crime involving moral turpitude before they can be deported. Though that sounds like a high bar, the reality is that a range of seemingly minor crimes can qualify as aggravated felonies. According to one immigration advocacy group, a recent immigrant from Trinidad was deported after her shoplifting charge was classified as an aggravated felony.
Though most experts say its unlikely that Bieber will be deported given his current criminal offenses, it is possible that if he continues on his crime spree that deportation might not be far off. Most immigration attorneys say Bieber should be thankful he’s in a position to afford quality criminal defense lawyers, something that is not guaranteed to those in immigration court.
Source: “Justin Bieber: Would US actually deport pop prince?,” by Peter Grier, published at CSMonitor.com.