These were people who came to comply with the law, not to flaunt having broken it. If they have broken any law, the government had damned well better charge them with a crime and allow them access to lawyers, things that the feds have often forgetten to do for Muslim prisoners lately.

As for "they could have gone back home": This IS their home. The United States of America. They are here to get jobs, become citizens, and join in the American Dream.