What makes someone deportable (crimes, overstays)?

A person may be deportable for being in the United States without lawful status, for overstaying a visa, or for certain criminal convictions. Deportability can also result from aggravated felonies, drug offenses, domestic violence offenses, theft crimes, fraud or misrepresentation, prior removal orders, or unlawful reentry. Some people have been ordered removed for offenses many assume are minor, including shoplifting, writing bad checks, or repeated misdemeanor convictions, depending on how immigration law classifies the conduct. Whether a crime triggers deportation depends on immigration law, not how a state labels the offense.