Ninth Circuit Holds Statute Barring “Encouraging and Inducing an Alien” Abridges Constitutionally-Protected Speech

Something to look out for on the immigration front:

The Ninth Circuit held that 8 U.S.C. 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) which prohibits “encouraging and inducing an alien to remain in the United States” abridges constitutionally-protected speech. Because “[a]t the very least, it is clear that the statute potentially criminalizes the simple words . . . “I encourage you to stay here,” the statute “criminalizes a substantial amount of constitutionally-protected expression” and therefore is unconstitutionally overbroad in violation of the First Amendment.

The case is United States v. Sineneng-Smith, and you can access the opinion here.