We've had harsher penalties than the Brits since 1996 The basic statutory maximum penalty for reentry after deportation is a fine under title 18, imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or both. However, with regard to an alien whose "removal" was subsequent to a conviction for commission of three or more misdemeanors involving drugs, crimes against the person, or both, or a felony (other than an aggravated felony), the statutory maximum term of imprisonment is 10 years. Moreover, if deportation was subsequent to conviction for an aggravated felony, the statutory maximum term of imprisonment is 20 years. https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm...-8-usc-1326-reentry-after-deportation-removal
Senator Punchdrunk. Not exactly sure what is so funny but whatever. Proof positive once again that Willie bonked her brains out.
Sure, it's stupid and likely unconstitutional and probably gone unchallenged. Doubtful this SCOTUS would rule that way however. I also dispute your "rarely if ever enforced" statement without seeing a source for such declaration (criminal immigrants going to jail hardly make the headlines). https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2014/03/18/the-rise-of-federal-immigration-crimes/ Nearly all of those sentenced for unlawful reentry in federal courts received a prison sentence. On average, the sentence length for these offenders was about two years. As the number of offenders sentenced in federal courts for unlawful reentry increased, so too did the number of immigration offenders incarcerated in federal prisons. Between 1998 and 2010 alone, growth in the number of immigration offenders accounted for 56% of the increase in federal prison admissions (Mallik-Kane, Parthasarathy and Adams, 2012).
Let's go to the Federal fact sheet and the Federal report from the United States Sentencing Commission for recent years. Quick Facts - Illegal Reentry offenses (2017) https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/...ications/quick-facts/Illegal_Reentry_FY17.pdf ILLEGAL REENTRY OFFENSES April 2015 https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/...s/immigration/2015_Illegal-Reentry-Report.pdf
I believe that it is getting to be necessary for former President Trump to visit the border to bring the appropriate level of attention to the matter.