Originally posted by: Don
KevinLewis opines, parenthetically: "(And no, crossing the border without permission doesn't make you a criminal, any more than say, getting a speeding ticket.)
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Whether it's by crossing the U.S. border with a "coyote" or buying a fake U.S. passport, a foreign national who enters the U.S. illegally can be both convicted of a crime and held responsible for a civil violation under the U.S. immigration laws. Illegal entry also carries consequences for anyone who might later attempt to apply for a green card or other immigration benefit.
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Ref: alllaw.com
True. But I think you're dealing in semantics. Have you ever gotten a parking ticket? Have you ever jaywalked? Did you ever underpay your taxes? Did you ever rip that tag off your pillow, the one that says cannot be removed under penalty of law? Did you ever get caught speeding?
Those are all criminal acts. I doubt, however, that you would consider anyone who commits them, yourself included, a criminal.
I realize that demonizing people who are trying to find a better life in the US is standard conservative bill of fare. One thing for sure, it never changes--fear and hatred of the "other."