[zardgiv]

Unlawful presence, which is all anyone at a mall in California could be charged with, is a civil matter, not a crime.

Unless there's some international border in Sunnyvale I missed, I don't think the ALPRs will catch any illegal entry.

[dahdum]

I wasn't arguing that. Just that illegal entry is not the same as a speeding ticket was my point. Overstaying on legal entry is civil, and just unlawful presence. I believe that's a bit less than half the population.

[zardgiv]

Unlawful presence is 100% of the offenses you'll be able to catch in a Sunnyvale mall parking lot, and it disproves the OPs contention that they are all "criminal, by definition."

[iosDrone]

You can use ALPR to track people who are known to have entered illegally or who have been sentenced to deportation and are avoiding their sentence. Illegal aliens are criminals.

[zardgiv]

I really don't think you understand the difference between unlawful presence and improper entry. One of these is a crime while the other is not. Restating your false premise at the end doesn't make it more true; unlawful presence in the U.S. is not a crime, that's a simple fact.

[iosDrone]

Crossing the border without a visa is a crime. You do not understand US law.

[zardgiv]

You're missing the point. No one will be caught entering the U.S., with or without a visa, in a Sunnyvale mall parking lot. All you will likely be able to catch is unlawful presence, which is a civil matter and not a crime.