The commission of a crime by an “illegal migrant” as an aggravating circumstance: an examination of the legal risks through the prism of inter-sectoral links

Viktor Sincov

VAK Russia 5.1.4

THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME BY AN “ILLEGAL MIGRANT” AS AN AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE: AN EXAMINATION OF THE LEGAL RISKS THROUGH THE PRISM OF INTER-SECTORAL LINKS The commission of a crime by an “illegal migrant” as an aggravating circumstance: an examination of the legal risks through the prism of inter-sectoral links

АА Аа

Published in Vestnik of the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia · Volume 2026, Issue 3 · Pages 234–244 · Rubric: CRIMINAL LAW SCIENCES

Received: 19.02.2026 Accepted: 25.09.2026 Published: 30.09.2026 Language of publication: RUS

Authors

Viktor Sincov

ORCID

Viktor Sincov

Dogovorno-pravovoy departament Ministerstva vnutrennih del Rossiyskoy Federacii Russian Federation · Москва

ORCID

ABSTRACT

Introduction. The recognition of the legal fact that “a crime has been committed by a person unlawfully present on the territory of the Russian Federation” as a circumstance aggravating criminal punishment warrants critical assessment. By its legal nature, this fact is of an administrative nature and is unsuitable for assessing the criminal propensities of the offender. A foreign national’s immigration status may be taken into account when determining the specific penalty, but solely as a factor characterising the offender’s personality. It is of particular relevance when considering whether to impose a sentence of compulsory or corrective labour on an immigrant, as serving such a sentence requires the existence of lawful grounds for staying (residing) in the Russian Federation. However, a foreign national’s illegal status must not, either directly or indirectly, influence the severity of the criminal penalty. Treating unauthorised residence as a criterion for harsher punishment creates the conditions for a concentration in the country of immigrants with a persistent anti-social disposition. The primary mechanism for combating illegal immigration is not the intensification of criminal prosecution, but the deportation of those who breach the law from the Russian Federation. Methods. The methodological framework of this study was based on the dialectical and formal-legal research methods, as well as methods for analysing judicial decisions and statistical data. Results. A mechanistic approach to increasing criminal penalties appears to be futile in terms of achieving the objective of restoring the rule of law in the field of migration. First of all, this leads to competition between criminal law and administrative law mechanisms in regulating migration processes. Secondly, it does not take into account the existing problems regarding the enforcement of a whole range of criminal sentences against foreign nationals. The highest priority in efforts to combat illegal migration lies not with measures of a criminal law nature, but with those of an administrative law nature. As part of the reform of public law legislation in the field of ensuring migration security, the primary focus should be on strengthening the legal means of controlling the presence of foreign nationals on the territory of the Russian Federation.

KEYWORDS

aggravating circumstance, foreign national, immigration status, illegal immigrant, community service, imprisonment, deportation, register of persons subject to supervision

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GOST

Sincov V. A. The commission of a crime by an “illegal migrant” as an aggravating circumstance: an examination of the legal risks through the prism of inter-sectoral links // Vestnik of the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. 2026. no. 3. pp. 234-244. URL: https://vestnikkf.ru/en/nauka/publications/article/6a9c162832807fdbab871f24/the-commission-of-a-crime-by-an-illegal-migrant-as-an-aggravating-circumstance-an-examination-of-the-legal-risks-through-the-prism-of-inter-sectoral-links/view. (Date of access 02.10.2026).

MLA

Viktor Sincov. "The commission of a crime by an “illegal migrant” as an aggravating circumstance: an examination of the legal risks through the prism of inter-sectoral links." Vestnik of the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia 2026.3 (2026): 234-244. URL: https://vestnikkf.ru/en/nauka/publications/article/6a9c162832807fdbab871f24/the-commission-of-a-crime-by-an-illegal-migrant-as-an-aggravating-circumstance-an-examination-of-the-legal-risks-through-the-prism-of-inter-sectoral-links/view.

APA

Sincov V. A. (2026). The commission of a crime by an “illegal migrant” as an aggravating circumstance: an examination of the legal risks through the prism of inter-sectoral links. Vestnik of the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, 2026(3), 234-244. URL: https://vestnikkf.ru/en/nauka/publications/article/6a9c162832807fdbab871f24/the-commission-of-a-crime-by-an-illegal-migrant-as-an-aggravating-circumstance-an-examination-of-the-legal-risks-through-the-prism-of-inter-sectoral-links/view

Chicago

Viktor Sincov. "The commission of a crime by an “illegal migrant” as an aggravating circumstance: an examination of the legal risks through the prism of inter-sectoral links." Vestnik of the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia 2026, no. 3 (2026): 234-244. URL: https://vestnikkf.ru/en/nauka/publications/article/6a9c162832807fdbab871f24/the-commission-of-a-crime-by-an-illegal-migrant-as-an-aggravating-circumstance-an-examination-of-the-legal-risks-through-the-prism-of-inter-sectoral-links/view.

WIKI

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