Texas Court Case: What It Means for Immigrants
You have a green card and a years-old Texas conviction you thought was behind you. Now a July 2026 Texas court decision in Thomas Steljes v. the State of Texas is raising new questions about how state criminal rulings affect immigrants. For non-citizens in Texas, the stakes could not be higher.
You are living in Texas, you have a visa or a green card, and you just heard that a state court issued a ruling that could affect people in your situation. That is exactly what happened in July 2026, when a Texas court issued a decision in Thomas Steljes v. the State of Texas.
What the Case Is About
The case of Thomas Steljes v. the State of Texas was decided by a Texas court in July 2026. At this stage, the full details of the ruling and its direct immigration consequences are still being reviewed by immigration attorneys across the state. What is clear is that state criminal proceedings in Texas can have serious consequences for non-citizens — including green card holders, visa holders, and asylum seekers.
Immigration Deadlines 2026 — Free
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Under federal immigration law, a criminal conviction — even at the state level — can trigger removal proceedings (the formal legal process to deport someone). It can also affect your ability to renew a work permit (EAD), apply for a green card, or become a US citizen through naturalization. Texas courts handle a large volume of cases involving non-citizens, and any ruling that changes how charges are filed or how convictions are recorded can ripple into immigration court.
What to Do
- If you are a non-citizen facing any criminal charge in Texas, contact an immigration attorney immediately — before you accept any plea deal. A plea that seems minor in criminal court can be a deportable offense in immigration court.
- Ask your criminal defense attorney whether they have experience with immigration consequences. If they do not, ask for a referral to someone who does.
- Do not miss any immigration court hearing dates. Missing a hearing can result in an automatic removal order issued in your absence.
- If you are already in removal proceedings and this ruling affects your case, ask your immigration attorney to review how the Texas decision applies to your specific charges.
Fishkin Law Firm, New York
Any non-citizen charged with a crime in Texas should treat it as an immigration emergency, not just a criminal matter. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, even certain misdemeanor convictions can qualify as deportable offenses or bars to relief. If a new Texas court ruling changes how a charge is classified or how a conviction is recorded, that can directly change your immigration exposure — consult an immigration attorney who handles criminal defense overlap before taking any action in your case.