New York Woman in U.S. Most of Her Life Could Be Deported Over Decade-Old Misdemeanor

By Edmund DeMarche
Published June 15, 2011
FoxNews.com

A woman who has been living legally in the U.S. since she was a baby and recently jailed for a decade-old misdemeanor drug conviction was freed Wednesday -- but the woman, Maria Renda, 55, with no ties to her native Italy, could still be deported as a criminal alien.

Renda, who has lived in the U.S. since she was 10 months old, was ineligible for bail in immigration court because although she has a Green Card, she’s not a U.S. citizen, so it wasn't immediately clear on what grounds she was released Wednesday.

"It feels great to be out," Renda, a New York resident, told FoxNews.com. "It was hell. I wouldn't wish jail on my worst enemy."

Even so, she could face a tough legal fight to stay in this country. Saul Brown, her attorney, said old convictions can lead to deportations for anyone without U.S. citizenship. And it's unclear why this particular conviction is coming back to haunt Renda now.

“The first step has always been to get her out of jail,â€