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1 1 (May 29, 2026)

handle is hein.crs/goveuli0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Immigration-Related Crimes May 29, 2026 Through the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and other laws, Congress has established a comprehensive framework governing the admission, removal, and presence of people who are not citizens or nationals of the United States (aliens). These rules are buttressed by an enforcement scheme that includes civil and criminal components. Aliens who have engaged in certain kinds of proscribed conduct may be denied admission into the United States or, if present, face removal through civil proceedings. Congress has also established criminal penalties for some activities that undermine immigration rules and requirements, such as smuggling aliens into the country. Some of these offenses carry severe penalties. Immigration-related crimes make up a significant portion ofthe federal criminal docket. The U.S. Sentencing Commission reported that in 66,662 cases involving individuals sentenced for a federal offense in FY2025, a 37.7% plurality (22,743) involved immigration-related offenses. This Legal Sidebar begins by discussing how the criminal enforcement components of federal immigration law contrast with the civil enforcement components, and then briefly describes the range of immigration-related criminal offenses in federal statute. Differences Between Criminal and Civil Components of Immigration Enforcement Federal immigration law includes both civil and criminal components. Civil enforcement mechanisms are intended to correct or remedy a statutory violation, whereas criminal enforcement mechanisms are primarily aimed at punishing an offense and deterring future wrongdoing. The Supreme Court has long characterized immigration removal proceedings as civil in nature, despite the potentially severe consequences for the removed individual. Other immigration violations-such as knowingly hiring or recruiting aliens for work who lack authorization for employment-may be subject to civil fines and, unlike immigration removal proceedings, apply to offenders (e.g., employers) regardless of citizenship or alienage. Congress has enacted numerous criminal statutes that address immigration-related conduct. Some criminal offenses carry relatively minor misdemeanor penalties, while others constitute felonies potentially punishable by lengthy prison terms and, for a few offenses involving aggravating circumstances, life imprisonment or death. Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov LSB11436 CRS Legal Sidebar Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress