Why not raise the penalty for illegal immigration to at least a felony?

Question

Since it costs the taxpayers so much, and so many illegals are imprisoned etc., and all of the other negatives that go with it, shouldn't they at least raise the penalty for illegal immigration to a felony level. Seems like Congress was thinking about doing this at one time.
It would perhaps make illegals think twice, if they knew they would be facing stiff jail sentences and high fines.

Answer 1

Exactly why not. They are indeed breaking the law. Also they should fine employers 20,000 for each illegal they employ and on the 3rd time they employ illegals they forfeit their company. Same goes for people who rent to them.

Answer 2

There is no perfect solution. Keeping them in jail longer and making them pay off fines only causes them to stay in the country longer. The only thing they could do is to instantly deport them. All immigrants from any country are illegal and the cost for that is deportation. The drain on the US economy from the illegal use of Judaical system, educational system, health care systems and others is one tax payers should not be responsible for. More government funding for security of our borders and more careful screening of visitors and keeping track of how long they are in the country would also help. If an illegal applies for entrance to a public school, or for free health care, or free judicial care an immediate call to either the INS or ICE should be made and the person deported immediately. There is no excuse for breaking the laws of our country. If they want to be here they need to apply legally!!! We have laws to follow and so do they!!

Answer 3

It wouldn't actually help much. If entering illegally or overstaying a visa were made a felony, it would still only be a felony for those who are not already here (since it's the entering, not being here, that's currently the crime) - for those already here, it'd be an 'ex post facto law' so, presumably not constitutional.

Now, we could make 'being in the country illegally' (rather than just entering a crime), that would then aply to those millions of illegals already here. Then, give that crime a penalty sufficient to encourage most to leave.

Answer 4

Because illegal immigration is not something that should be a felony. I would rather see real crimes that hurt and kill people be felonys. Just my opinion.

~Sigy, La Senorita de los Bridges
[To Abusive Reporters: If I learn that this question is removed than I will write to [e-mail] to support the asker and protest the removal]

Answer 5

America is supposed to be the "Land of the Free", somehow I don't think we could make that claim if we were to imprison all immigrants on felony counts.

People flee to America seeking refuge and the American dream. Sure, there are criminals that sneak in. But there are also dedicated, hard-working people looking to earn money for their families. It would be a gross injustice to throw them all in jail (not to mention, impossible considering the inflated prison populations).

Think of it this way, if we imprison all illegal immigrants, that means in order to avoid overcrowding in the prisons, the means less time (or more time off for "good behavior") for robbers, rapists, burgulars and child molestors.

Answer 6

Here's how it is, from what I've read and studied upon.

North America (US, Canada, and Mexico) is going to be joined together just like the EU (European Union).

This is the reason we haven't secured the souther border (and because 9/11 was fake, there are no terrorists. I mean come on people, would we not secure a border where hundreds of thousands of illegals cross each year if TERRORISM was a real threat?), because it would be unsecured in a matter of years...so why waste all the money?

Bush keeps it all hush, hush, you don't even see this stuff on (go figure) CNN, MSNBC, etc.

He laughs and ridicules any reporter who asks him about.

I did see one piece where the Mexico president said something like "We should be honest with the public"...yeah, it's a PLUS for Mexico but a huge negative for the US and Canada.

http://www.stopthenorthamericanunion.com/TwoPeas.html

Answer 7

Isn't it already a felony? Too darn many commit identity theft to get jobs and other things that not even a poor citizen is entitled to without jumping through a million hoops and satifying a bunch of bureaucrats first.

Answer 8

I don't think that would stop immigrants because most of them see no other way to live than to be in America and they wont stop at any cost. and it cost to much to hold people in prison and trust me if they wanted to they could catch thousand upon thousands of illegalsjust in California and that would be extremely expensive to hold them, especially since they probably dont have money to pay the fines.

Answer 9

Why not have work permits that tax them for the cost of their benefits. As far as felony's why don't we sent everyone who commits a felony to where ever?

Answer 10

Then again, if we just legalized all of them...all the costs disappear. Hmmmmm...Raise taxes, food prices, and the cost of everything else...or swallow some pride and save millions of dollars a year.

I'll take amnesty until I make my first million and can actually afford to support bad policies.

Answer 11

Imprisoning people is much more expensive than giving them full welfare benefits, especially when you consider the costs of all the new prisons that would have to be built. Most of these people don't have any money to pay fines.