international european-union
Illegally crossing Hungarian border
<p>Recently I read <a href="http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/09/16/raw-video-total-chaos-erupts-at-hungary-border-as-armed-mob-of-illegal-immigrants-clash-with-riot-police/" rel="nofollow">this article</a> with the following quote:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>But Hungary acted this week to stop the huge flow of people, sealing off its border with Serbia with a razor-wire fence and <strong>making it a crime to enter the country illegally</strong>.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I'm wondering why it was not a crime previously to cross the borders illegally. If this was not a crime, doesn't this made crossing the borders illegally an "<em>empty box</em>"?</p>

<p>In the US it is not a crime to be in the country illegally. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>As a general rule, it is not a crime for a removable alien to remain in the United States. </p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/11-182b5e1.pdf" rel="nofollow">Arizona v US</a></p>

<p>So it's illegal, you get a state induced consequence (deportation) but it doesn't make you a criminal e.g. you don't go to jail for it. </p>

<p>I have no idea if that's what's going on over there but it's a plausible explanation. </p>

<p>I would put that down to bad wording of the article. As you mention it would be a crime if you did anything illegally.</p>
