Misdemeanor Sentences
Position: support
Status: Passed.
Bill: SB 5168
Sponsor: Sen. Prentice
Under current federal immigration law, many immigrants who commit minor crimes are deported if their conviction carries a sentence of 365 days or more, even if the sentence is suspended. This results in deportations of longtime permanent residents with U.S. citizen families, a consequence far disproportionate to the underlying crime. The ACLU-WA, along with defense attorneys’ and immigrant rights organizations, gained passage of a bill that changes state sentencing law to mandate 364-day sentences in such misdemeanor cases. This follows up on successful advocacy with the Seattle City Attorney’s office to seek sentences of 364 days in these cases.
Topics:
