I'm on your side as far as wanting to stop illegal immigration goes, but let's not go off the deep end and make illegitimate arguments.
For foreign nationals (aka aliens) to stay in this country without a permit is not of itself "criminal," under our law, as I understand it. It is a civil violation.
And as a sidenote, the word "civil" is derived from Latin civis, meaning citizen.
Actually, the House wants to make it a felony. That's why we're having the marches and hyperbole.
All persons who enter the United States illegally are therefore criminals. I am not addressing this comment to anyone who enters the country legally.