Immigrants are not criminals as a result of their immigration. The went through proper channels to enter and stay in the country.
Criminal Aliens is the topic at hand. A Criminal Alien is a foreign national who enters a country without permission and may stay or even does stay until deportation. To commit this offense in the United States is a federal misdemeanor.
Illegal Re-Entry be a Criminal Alien is a federal felony. Its when a previously deported Criminal Alien comes back to the United States after being deported. Such a criminal offender faces a prison sentence of up to 15 years and most plead out to a 5 year sentence.
So, immigrants are not being framed as "criminals", but rather Criminal Aliens are being framed as "immigrants".