Rays' Wander Franco: Likely barred from entering U.S.

Franco is likely to be barred from entering the United States while facing charges of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering in the Dominican Republic, two immigration attorneys told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Franco was released from custody in the D.R. and is free to leave the country, but he must return once a month to appear before authorities while the legal process plays out. However, the U.S. government has the ability to revoke Franco's visa on the grounds he could be considered a threat to public safety. Even if that doesn't happen, the chances that Franco would attempt to travel to the U.S. are "minimal," attorney Javad Khazaeli told Rosenthal. Franco, 22, is being investigated in the Dominican Republic over allegations he had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl and gave her mother 100,000 Dominican pesos per month to maintain a "dating relationship," per court documents obtained by The Athletic. A conviction would be an aggravated felony under U.S. immigration law, resulting in a permanent ban from the United States.