Well, now i’m confused. Maybe I’ve had too much turkey or pumpkin pie....
....”Illegal aliens themselves would also face stiffer penalties for violating U.S. immigration laws under H.R. 4437. Illegal entry, now considered a misdemeanor offense, would become a felony and illegal aliens could receive jail time for immigration violations. “....
http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=research_feb06nl01
“WASHINGTON — A pledge by Republican leaders that they will not push to make illegal immigration a felony is unlikely to defuse opposition to proposed immigration and border security legislation, lawmakers on both sides said Wednesday.
A bill the House passed in December called for making illegal immigration a felony offense, punishable by at least a year in jail. That proposal has been a rallying cry for thousands of demonstrators, some carrying signs saying, “We are not criminals,” who have protested across the USA against proposals in Congress to crack down on illegal immigration.”...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-04-12-immigration-congress_x.htm
Understandable considering politicians/lawyers are in the mix. I'm not sure why they would pass redundant laws. If it is a misunderstanding on my part... I'm sure someone will be along shortly to clear it up or point out that politicians are politicians without need for reason or rationality.