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I'm going to have to agree with dplumb_BWBR and benmcqueen here, linking is the preferred route, except in rare cases where you're dealing with smaller projects and/or can be absolutely sure the dwg or other file has been cleaned up and has no extraneous information. The issue is that, once imported, you have no control over the document through the manage links window, and all geometry in the dwg (or other file) is inside of Revit, and Revit is less optimized to deal with non-Revit elements. Once exploded, these elements are turned into Revit elements, but without an extremely thorough audit on the imported file or creating the file yourself, you have no way of knowing what unwanted geometry may also be imported into Revit, suddenly giving you elements hundreds or even a few thousand feet away from your model. With anything over, say, a low-rise building with just a couple uncleaned AutoCAD files, you'll see a significantly impact performance of the model (both in navigation and element creation) until you explode, no matter how many times your purge your model as long as those imports files are there. This is true when linked, as well, but to a lesser degree due it being inside a container seen as one object instead of many, and the geometry is at least controllable through an interface instead of just existing as a family. Want to temporarily unload the file? First you have to find it (good luck if it contained invisible geometry), delete it, then purge. With a link? Just head over to the Manage Links tool and fidget with it to your hearts content. The only two benefits (which are minimal) to importing that I have found are:

 

1) that you don't have to trace over linework and can manipulate the lines directly (after exploding). But before exploding, you're not dealing with Revit elements (which slows Revit), and in the case of a floor plan, you shouldn't be using linework at all, but walls and other BIM modelling elements instead, and 

 

2) in cases where a layout changes every day, but you need to "freeze" it without creating a copy/dummy file, importing will become a "dead" link, and never receive any updates when the layout changes. Personally, I view this as the epitome of non-BIM thinking, but have come across the need for this in a few, sparse cases.
If that's your preferred workflow, by all means, keep at it, but the overall community will always disagree with you until we hear out an explanation as to why importing has benefits over linking.

 

Either way, V/G is purely for visibility and graphic controls. The removal of imports (which isn't a function housed anywhere in Revit due to the way cad imports are handled) is not a visibility or graphic functionality, and as such has no place in that interface from both a software designer's point of view and from an End-User development approach (since Heuristic approaches dictate ends users will use previous knowledge to solve a problem). "Catch all" interfaces are dangerous and lead to higher learning curves because the end user is never sure which interface to go to. That's why, as imperfect as Revit may be, the current system for handling imports and links is the best it can provide.

TL;DR:

Imports must be purged, and then re-imported when you desire to see them again. Import must be deleted before it can be purged. If multiple instance exist, delete all instances, then purge. No other functionality exists, nor can be created, to remove imports due to how Revit internally handles imports as families. Imports become "dead," which is inherently non-BIM. Can be useful in the case of details, as long as you know there's no extraneous content in the imported file.

Links can but added, unloaded, reloaded, and removed all from an easy to use interface, and remain live to the original file, thus provided you with seamless updates when the file is updated with no added work on the designer's part. Links cannot be exploded, but due to the inability to easily audit files from others exploding is highly frowned upon. This is the industry's preferred method to handling such files.