05-05-2011, 05:11 PM
Chakravartin wrote:
...And I notice that you're focusing on immigrants who have committed criminal acts in this country over-and-above their mere presence here.
Grace62 wrote:
And I'm talking about violent crime, not the misdemeanor of being in the country without proper authorization.
Merely being in the United States without proper documentation is not a crime. It is a violation of civil law, not criminal law. This is a very common misunderstanding about immigration law, but it's important. Just being undocumented does not make you a criminal; there are no prison terms assessed against people for not having valid visas. You can be assessed a fine and ordered to leave the country, but it is a civil offense.