{
  "id": "RL32480",
  "type": "CRS Report",
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      "id": 370412,
      "date": "2009-01-15",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T02:53:52.367944",
      "title": "Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity",
      "summary": "Congress has broad plenary authority to determine classes of aliens who may be admitted into the United States and the grounds for which they may be removed. Pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended, certain conduct may either disqualify an alien from entering the United States (\u201cinadmissibility\u201d) or provide grounds for his or her removal/deportation. Prominently included among this conduct is criminal activity. \u201cCriminal activity\u201d comprises acts violative of federal, state, or, in many cases, foreign criminal law. It does not cover violations of the INA that are not crimes\u2014most notably, being in the United States without legal permission. Thus, the term \u201cillegal alien\u201d\u2014an alien without legal status\u2014is not synonymous with \u201ccriminal alien.\u201d\nMost crimes affecting immigration status are not specifically mentioned by the INA, but instead fall under a broad category of crimes, such as crimes involving moral turpitude or aggravated felonies. In addition, certain criminal conduct precludes a finding of good moral character under the INA, which is a requirement for naturalization and certain types of immigration relief.\nIn certain circumstances, grounds for inadmissibility or deportation may be waived. In some cases, aliens facing removal may be allowed to remain in the United States\u2014for example, when they are granted discretionary or mandatory relief from removal for humanitarian reasons, such as through asylum, withholding of removal, or cancellation of removal. Aliens facing removal may also be permitted to depart the United States voluntarily, and thereby avoid the potential stigma and legal consequences of forced removal. Criminal conduct may affect an alien\u2019s eligibility for either voluntary departure or discretionary relief from removal. Additionally, criminal conduct is a key disqualifying factor under the character requirement for naturalization.\nSeveral legislative proposals were made during the 110th Congress that contained provisions modifying the immigration consequences of criminal activity. Enacted legislation modifying the immigration consequences of criminal activity included P.L. 110-257, providing certain relief from inadmissibility to members of the African National Congress; P.L. 110-340, making persons who have engaged in the recruitment of child soldiers in violation of federal law inadmissible, deportable and ineligible for asylum or withholding of removal; and P.L. 110-457, modifying the grounds for inadmissibility and removal related to human trafficking.",
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      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
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      "id": "RL32480_2008Jul02",
      "date": "2008-06-02",
      "retrieved": "2015-10-20T21:35:54",
      "title": "Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity",
      "summary": "This report discusses the potential immigration consequences of criminal activity. \"Criminal activity\" generally refers to conduct for which an alien has been found or plead guilty before a court of law, though in limited circumstances consequences may attach to the commission of a crime or admission of acts constituting the essential elements of a crime.",
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          "id": "Immigration",
          "name": "Immigration"
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          "id": "Immigration policy",
          "name": "Immigration policy"
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          "id": "Immigration law",
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      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc814862/",
      "id": "RL32480_2006Dec12",
      "date": "2006-12-12",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity",
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    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs9934/",
      "id": "RL32480_2006Oct23",
      "date": "2006-10-23",
      "retrieved": "2007-06-12T15:47:34",
      "title": "Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity",
      "summary": "This report discusses the potential immigration consequences of criminal\r\nactivity. \u201cCriminal activity\u201d generally refers to conduct for which an alien has been\r\nfound or plead guilty before a court of law, though in limited circumstances\r\nconsequences may attach to the commission of a crime or admission of acts\r\nconstituting the essential elements of a crime. Consequences may flow from\r\nviolations of either federal, state or, in many circumstances, foreign criminal law. Some federal crimes are set out in the INA itself \u2014 alien smuggling, for example.\r\nHowever, not all violations of immigration law are crimes. Notably, being in the\r\nU.S. without legal permission \u2014 i.e., being an \u201cillegal alien\u201d \u2014 is not a crime in and\r\nof itself.\r\n Thus, for example, an alien who overstays a student visa may be an \u201cillegal\r\nalien,\u201d in that the alien may be subject to removal from the U.S., but such an alien\r\nis not a \u201ccriminal alien.\u201d",
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          "id": "Minorities",
          "name": "Minorities"
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      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc819793/",
      "id": "RL32480_2006Sep20",
      "date": "2006-09-20",
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    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc818272/",
      "id": "RL32480_2005Dec07",
      "date": "2005-12-07",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity",
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    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs7887/",
      "id": "RL32480 2005-07-06",
      "date": "2005-07-06",
      "retrieved": "2005-12-21T16:18:59",
      "title": "Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity",
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          "id": "Minorities",
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