Yes. If you don't have immigration status, you can be arrested and deportation proceedings can be started. However, depending on who your family member is, you may not have to leave the country to obtain permanent resident status. But this is only applicable to citizens and their immediate family members. It is more likely that you will have to leave the country and, in addition, be punished for entering the US and remaining in the country illegally, with a time bar on applying for permanent residence status being imposed. This could anything from three to ten years; but, sometimes, a permanent bar is imposed.

The specialist attorneys at the Law Offices of Manuel Solis can help you obtain a waiver if a time bar is imposed, if you qualify. We can also help you take all the necessary steps to avoid being arrested before you legitimise your immigration status. In many cases, and if everything goes well, you may only be out of the country for a few weeks to attend a consular interview, and you can then enter the United States as a permanent resident.