Does Breaking the Law for 25 Years Qualify You to Stay?

Last night in the Republican debate on CNN, Mr. Gingrich suggested that if an illegal alien (i.e. a breaker of our laws), had been here for 25 years, had raised a family, gone to church, paid his taxes, held a job, etc., then we shouldn't just eject him from the country.

Let me posit a different scenario. For the last 25 years, an American citizen, has been committing the same crime every day - say stealing $100.00 every day from his employer. During that 25 years he's raised a family, gone to church, paid his taxes, held a job, etc. When he is caught, should we let him go scot-free with an admonition that he shouldn't do this anymore? I don't think anyone would agree that is the correct response.

If someone is here illegally, they are commiting a crime every day they remain. To pay taxes, they must have perjured themselves to get a social security number, or they must have stolen someone else's number. Each is a federal crime. If they've gotten a loan to buy a house, or gotten a credit card, they've likely committed fraud when they signed their application.

If we would penalize an American citizen for a crime, why shouldn't penalize an illegal alien for committing several? We're either a nation of laws, or emotions. I prefer laws.