Decriminalizing Migration: Ending Prosecutions for Border Crossing Violations

8/19 The Trump administration has weaponized provisions in federal law in the most abusive way to
demonize immigrants and tear families apart. Two of the most harmful, costly, and unnecessary provisions in federal immigration law are Sections 1325 and 1326 of Title 8 U.S.C., which make it a federal crime for someone to enter the U.S. somewhere other than an official port of entry. Illegal entry and re-entry are the most prosecuted federal crimes in the US..The explosion in the prosecution of immigration-related charges has led to ballooning costs for taxpayers,xxxii associated not just with the price tag of mass incarcerations but of appointed public defenders, judicial resources and administrative court costs estimated at millions of dollars per month.xxxiii Private companies are profiting, as new jails open to hold immigrant prosecuted for border crossings.