Hey folks, Preet here. Joyce Vance and I are back with a new episode of The Insider podcast.

First, we discuss whether violations of immigration law are treated as civil offenses or criminal acts under U.S. law.

Then we break down a new bill in Congress that would ban lawmakers from trading stocks.

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or click the link in the show notes of this podcast to hear the full analysis.

Stay tuned, listeners.

Stick around for an excerpt from our conversation.

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Now, on to the show.

On the question of whether your status or your actions in coming to this country or remaining in this country is a criminal matter versus a civil matter, it's a complicated question.

It depends on the facts and circumstances.

As every lawyer you will ever consult will say, depends on the facts and the circumstances and a host of other things.

But can we draw one general distinction?

Yeah, which one?

If you come into this country, you smuggle yourself in or someone smuggles you in, or you sneak across a border and do not present yourself and you don't follow any process, generally speaking, that act can be a criminal act.

Lots of people who are in this country who are undocumented and whom the administration

seeks to deport for right or wrong came to the country lawfully and legally.

They came under a student visa or a work visa or some other legitimate vehicle.

And then either for bureaucratic reasons or intentional reasons, innocent or

nefarious, their status lapsed or they didn't do the things that they were supposed to do to

...