WASHINGTON (CMC):

An international human rights group says contrary to popular belief, many Caribbean and other immigrants deported from the United States are a "far cry from the worst and most violent offenders".

In a report released here Wednesday, Human Rights Watch said non-U.S. citizens have been forced into "permanent exile for non-violent misdemeanour offences, even if they served a short prison sentence with a perfect record of good conduct".

Retroactive effects

The group blamed the 1996 immigration law for increased deportations to the region because of its retroactive effects.

"A criminal offence committed in the 1980s that did not trigger deportation at that time can now render a non-citizen deportable, even if the non-citizen served a prison sentence, successfully completed all terms of probation, and has since lived, worked and raised a family in the community without ever running into trouble with the law again," it said.

The group said not only have deportation laws become more punitive by increasing the types of crimes that can permanently sever an immigrant's ties to the United States, but there were avenues for immigrants to appeal for leniency.