Overview
- On July 6, CBP agents at Houlton, Maine, denied reentry to Christopher S. Landry over misdemeanor marijuana convictions from 2004 and 2007
- After a July 24 hearing, Judge Anne M. Edwards vacated Landry’s guilty pleas in Cheshire Superior Court, clearing the way for his return on July 31
- Landry represented himself in the original cases and did not understand that his plea bargains could trigger immigration consequences decades later
- A July CBP advisory stressed that green cards are privileges and warned lawful permanent residents with any criminal record may face mandatory detention
- The episode highlights gaps in legal counsel and signals continued risks for millions of permanent residents with minor past offenses