Deporting Permanent Legal Aliens for a Felony

"under a 1996 law that requires mandatory deportations for permanent alien residents convicted of a felony"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12169557/site/newsweek/

I can't imagine how crappy this is. Never having set foot in Cambodia, being born in a Thai relocation camp after your parents escaped the Khmer Rouge. Growing up and living in America for over 3 decades. Then being deported back to a country where you have never been, don't speak the language, have no living relatives...

I think this 1996 law needs to be amended. I mean I can see it being ok to deport a legal immigrant if they're here for like 3 months and kill someone. Yet 3 decades? Did the prison time, and started families and legitimate lives?

Yet at the same time I can see the contra argument. These people have been here for 3 decades. Identify themselves as Americans, yet never took the time to officially become citizens. Any of them could have. They were satisified with their green card and just didn't think to do it. Their parents should have had them become citizens before they even got to adulthood, but otherwise some of these people have had well over a decade as adults to go and get it done. They would have had few barriers, if any, to becoming citizens at this point.

Now they're screwed.

What does DU think?

My next door neighbor, who is from the Ukraine, committed a felony. He can't be deported because Ukraine doesn't want him back.

I'm not sure what strongarming was involved but Cambodia is now taking these people back.

What do you think though? Should someone who hasn't taken the time to become a citizen even though they could have, be able to be deported for committing a felony even after being here for 30 years, or more?

citizens.