Is Illegal Immigration a Crime?

Matthew Cavedon

No, it is a civil offense punishable by a $50 fine (though reentering the country after removal is a crime).

However, a recent article by theologian Terence Sweeney invites readers to suppose illegal immigration did in fact violate the criminal law: committing it might still not actually count as a crime. Crimes come with defenses; necessity is one of the most well-established, and people who immigrate illegally often have a strong claim of necessity.

Unlike some libertarians...