NORFOLK – Controversy rose after Rep. Jasmine Crockett argued that illegal immigration is not a crime, but a “civil violation.” Her comments were part of a discussion on The Katie Phang Show, and they quickly sparked a debate over the legal issues around immigration laws.
In the interview, Crockett responded to questions about illegal immigration, she explained that crossing the border illegally is criminal act but not a crime.
“It is a civil violation,” Crockett said.
“It is not a criminal violation to enter the country illegally. It’s not. It’s not criminal. It’s not a crime.”
She also said that the police should be more focused on murderers and sexual abusers rather than people crossing the border without permission.
“They want them to go and round people up on civil accusations,” Crockett said.
While Crockett’s opinion contradicts the law, since illegal entry into the U.S. is considered a misdemeanor in the federal law. According to Title 8 of the U.S. Constitution 1325, illegal entry can lead to fines and a possible prison sentence of up to six months for first-time offenders. If someone is caught entering the country illegally more than once, the sentence could be longer.
Crockett also commented on how Republicans are dealing with the situation at the border. She accused Republicans of being hypocritical, by following Donald Trump “the biggest criminal.”
Crockett made it clear that Republicans should not care about crime in the U.S. if they support Donald Trump.
“Don’t give me this fake outrage about criminals roaming our streets when you guys stand 10 toes down for the biggest criminal that we have ever seen go into the White House,” Crockett said.
She also supports sanctuary cities which protect undocumented immigrants and limit local law enforcement towards them. Crockett believes that sanctuary cities keep people safe since local law enforcement focuses on other crimes rather than the illegal immigrants.
Despite what Crocket has said, entering the United States without legal permission is a federal crime. Crockett’s beliefs have sparked much controversy but are not going to change the law. Most Republicans view illegal immigration as a threat to the U.S., while Crockett and others would rather ignore it and focus on crime that is more important to them.
As the debate over immigration continues to grow, it’s clear that Crocket’s words have added fuel to the fire. There is no end in sight for this debate considering the two parties’ vast differences in opinions.
If you would like to read more about immigration laws in the constitution, go to the Constitution Annotated website.
