A Peterborough man who was stuck in Canada for nearly a month due to two decades-old marijuana convictions has returned home to New Hampshire.Chris Landry, a Canadian national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, traveled to visit family in early July. He had made similar trips for years without incident, but this time he was told he could not re-enter the U.S. due to the convictions from 2004 and 2007.Landry spoke with News 9 in early July, just days after being denied reentry. He said he never imagined a quick family visit would turn into weeks of legal uncertainty. WMUR was first to report about Landry’s case.Landry’s attorney, Ron Abramson, reviewed court records and found Landry had not been represented by an attorney during those earlier cases. It was unclear if Landry had properly waived that right. “That ended up being probably the main reason that the court vacated the two pleas,” Abramson said.The New Hampshire court acted fast once the issue was raised. “The state saw this case for what it was, and the court understood the need to act fast — assuming our arguments held water, which ultimately they did,” Abramson said.Even after the charges were vacated, Landry had to wait for Customs and Border Protection to review legal documents and confirm that his immigration record had been cleared. “Mr. Landry had the protection of being a permanent resident, but in the moment, he didn’t know if he was going to be able to come back soon — or ever,” Abramson said.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <> Subscribe to WMUR’s YouTube channel <<
A Peterborough man who was stuck in Canada for nearly a month due to two decades-old marijuana convictions has returned home to New Hampshire.
Chris Landry, a Canadian national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, traveled to visit family in early July. He had made similar trips for years without incident, but this time he was told he could not re-enter the U.S. due to the convictions from 2004 and 2007.
Landry spoke with News 9 in early July, just days after being denied reentry. He said he never imagined a quick family visit would turn into weeks of legal uncertainty.
WMUR was first to report about Landry’s case.
Landry’s attorney, Ron Abramson, reviewed court records and found Landry had not been represented by an attorney during those earlier cases. It was unclear if Landry had properly waived that right.
“That ended up being probably the main reason that the court vacated the two pleas,” Abramson said.
The New Hampshire court acted fast once the issue was raised.
“The state saw this case for what it was, and the court understood the need to act fast — assuming our arguments held water, which ultimately they did,” Abramson said.
Even after the charges were vacated, Landry had to wait for Customs and Border Protection to review legal documents and confirm that his immigration record had been cleared.
“Mr. Landry had the protection of being a permanent resident, but in the moment, he didn’t know if he was going to be able to come back soon — or ever,” Abramson said.
>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<
Landry has since returned to New Hampshire and is focusing on moving forward with his life.
“I think he’s happy to be home,” Abramson said. “I think, like many people, he won’t take anything for granted after an experience like this — where your life can be derailed over something old, minor, and largely out of your control.”
Abramson said he’s recently received more calls from non-citizens concerned about their immigration status. He advises anyone with a criminal record to consult with an attorney before leaving the country, even for old charges.
“Some people may only find themselves in trouble when they attempt to re-enter, which was the case for Chris Landry,” he said.
Landry’s case also highlights a growing reality, Abramson added, “People are seeing huge immigration consequences from relatively minor transgressions when they were much younger.”
While immigration laws haven’t changed significantly this year, enforcement priorities have shifted.
Abramson said this case was one of the few times discretion worked in his client’s favor. Landry is now considering pursuing U.S. citizenship.
“Once you become a U.S. citizen,” Abramson said, “you don’t have to think about this anymore.”
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