Modern Problems of Establishing and Implementing Criminal Liability for Illegal Migration Crimes

Abstract

This study aims to identify and consider modern problems in establishing and implementing criminal liability for crimes pertaining to illegal migration, such as illegal crossing of the Russian Federation State Border, organizing illegal migration, fictitious registration of citizens of the Russian Federation at a place of stay or place of residence in residential premises in the Russian Federation, fictitious migration registration of foreign citizens or stateless persons at a place of residence in residential premises in the Russian Federation, as well as fictitious registration of foreign citizens or stateless persons at a place of stay in the Russian Federation. On this basis, proposals to improve legislative and regulatory compliance practices in this area have been formulated. The object of research is social interaction associated with the establishment and application of criminal law provisions on accountability for the crimes. The subject of research is a complex of legislative, doctrinal and practical issues, the study of which contributes to the development of criminal law theory in the area of liability for illegal migration crimes. This article considers the clarifications issued by the Plenary Session of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation cited in resolution No. 18 “On Judicial Practice in Cases on Illegal Crossing of the State Border of the Russian Federation and on Crimes Pertaining to Illegal Migration” of July 9, 2020, relevant court practice materials and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation Judicial Department’s statistical data. Research methodology is based on general and specific scientific methods, including comparative legal and concrete-sociological ones. As a result of the comprehensive analysis of criminal justice vulnerabilities in response to crimes pertaining to illegal migration, proposals for further development of the criminal legislation on the fields of criminal liability for such crimes and practices associated with its application have been formulated. For example, this article reveals the content of actions that form the objective aspect of crimes pertaining to illegal migration, defines the legal and factual aspects of committed offences, and provides recommendations concerning their qualification, including differentiation between them and their separation from related crimes and similar administrative offenses.