Photo by by flatiron32

In 1996, a new immigration law dramatically increased penalties for immigrants convicted of crimes. The law established that immigrants — even those who have obtained permanent residence — can be deported if they are convicted of “aggravated felonies,” a term for offenses labeled as serious under immigration law.

Furthermore, immigration cases increasingly involve illegal immigrants charged with relatively minor offenses, such as driving without a license.

For the source of this information, see HERE.