Some folks argue against immigration because they think immigrants commit crimes more often. As waves of people come into the country, both legally and illegally, it’s easy to worry about crime rates climbing. Many are eager to seal the borders to keep supposed wrongdoers away. At first glance, it might seem like a strong case. But, there’s a twist in this tale. Recent reports show that immigrants tend to commit fewer crimes than people might expect. Why not dive deeper and discover the truth behind these surprising stats?
Multiple studies examining the relationship between crime and immigration find arrest rates as high as five times higher for people born in America than those who immigrated here. One report found that in the seventeen years following 1990, when nearly four million people immigrated to California, around 33% of which were not documented, the rates of violent crime in the state declined by over half.
There are some studies that suggest property crime may be more directly related to levels of immigration. In many of these studies, changes in immigrant population was compared with crime rates and some correlations were suggested, though violent crime seemed to remain independent.
It is important to realize that none of these studies constitute definitive proof of anything. They can only guide our understanding of the issues. If we wish to understand what is contributing to the issues we face, we have to first avoid assumptions and leave room for what we do not yet know.