The laws also dropped from five years to one year the length of a sentence needed to qualify a crime as an aggravated felony. The wide range of the laws has netted an equally wide range of criminals. The laws also greatly reduced the ability of criminal aliens to get deportation waivers. In the past, such waivers were granted to those who had been rehabilitated, lived in the U.S. for a long time, or could show that deportation would hurt family members who were U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The waivers currently are not being granted.
Supporters say detention is necessary to prevent former criminals from committing more crimes.
If set free, they will likely never come back. The INS estimates only 10 percent of people ordered deported turn themselves in.