written bad checks

i have a friend who is a citizen of canada, but is currentLY living here las vegas, nevada. she wrote a couple of bad checks and is now worried about being deported back to canada, the thing is that her son is a us citizen, and she is a single mother. what my question is is what is the law regarding writing overdrawn checks. she is up to about $3500.00 now in the hole, the thing is that the stores that she goes keeps on cashing her checks. is it possible that she wiLl do jail time here in the us or wiLl she be deported. she keeps cashing these checks to try an recover the money that she has lost. I have heard of a case where the judge was leanient twards the lady basicaLly in the same situation. Help! so i can put her mind at ease. Thanks