A new bill introduced Tuesday would make first-time illegal border crossing a felony, the Washington Examiner reports.
The legislation, put forward by Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), seeks to "set up a huge disincentive" for crossing the U.S. border outside of an official port of entry. The "Zero Tolerance for Illegal Entry Act" would charge first-time offenders with a felony, punishable by a minimum prison sentence of one year and one day. Currently, the offense is classified as a misdemeanor, carrying a maximum six-month sentence.
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