Facts Refute the Lies Told About Immigrants

Ask why are so many people poor when so much wealth is in the hands of the few?

Latest

Rally in Athens, GA in support of immigrants calls for love, not hate following the death of Univ. of Georgia student Laken Riley. An immigrant man, Jose Antonio Ibarra, was charged in her death and anti-immigrant forces are using her death to stir up hatred of immigrants. PHOTO / STILL, FOX 5 ATLANTA VIDEO

“Many researchers crunching the numbers have found there’s no connection between immigration and crime. Some have even found that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the U.S.” (CNN’s Catherine E. Shoiche)

As the electoral battles heat up, we see more lurid headlines about undocumented immigrants being “more likely to commit crimes,” along with stories about immigrants supposedly taking jobs and resources away from people already in the U.S. What are the facts?

“In a recent Pew Research Center report about the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, 57% of Americans say the large number of migrants seeking to enter the country leads to more crime,” CNN’s Catherine E. Shoichet noted in an article posted on Feb. 27. But, she said, this idea “flies in the face of years of studies looking at what actually happened after immigrants came to communities across the U.S. Many researchers crunching the numbers have found there’s no connection between immigration and crime. Some have even found that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the U.S.”

Alex Nowrasteh of the libertarian Cato Institute wrote on March 6 that his own recent research into homicides allegedly committed by undocumented immigrants in Texas “showed that illegal immigrants have lower criminal conviction and arrest rates than native‐born Americans and that legal immigrants had the lowest of all.”

Meanwhile Daniel Costa and Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute on Feb. 20 refuted the idea that immigrants are taking jobs away from U.S.-born workers. They wrote, “The reality is that the economy does not have a fixed number of jobs, and what we see today is a growing economy that is adding jobs for both immigrants and U.S.-born workers.” They cite what they call “key facts that show immigrants are not hurting the employment outcomes of U.S.-born workers.” These include:

“The unemployment rate for U.S.-born workers averaged 3.6% in 2023, the lowest rate on record. Obviously, immigration is not causing high unemployment among U.S.-born workers.

“The share of prime-age (ages 25–54) U.S.-born individuals with a job is at its highest rate in more than two decades.

“Though the immigrant share of the labor force reached a record high in 2023, immigrant labor force growth is not occurring at an unprecedented rate.

“Immigrants are an integral part of our labor market, filling gaps caused by demographic changes in the United States and contributing to strong economic growth. The immigrants that make up 18.6% of the U.S. labor force are playing key roles in numerous industries and are employed in a mix of lower, middle, and higher-wage jobs.”

Ignore the lies and instead, ask why so many people in the US and other countries are homeless and hungry when so much wealth is in the hands of the few? There’s power in numbers. Our hope lies in our unity.

+ Articles by this author

Bob Lee is a professional journalist, writer and editor, and is co-editor of the People’s Tribune, serving as Managing Editor. He first started writing for and distributing the People’s Tribune in 1980, and joined the editorial board in 1987.

Free to republish but please credit the People's Tribune. Visit us at www.peoplestribune.org, email peoplestribune@gmail.com, or call 773-486-3551.

The People’s Tribune brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: ©2024 peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

Pregnant Teen Died: Seeks Care in Three Texas Emergency Rooms

Nevaeh Crain cried in pain, too weak to walk, blood staining her thighs. Vomiting and feverish at her baby shower, the teen went to two different emergency rooms, returning home, worse than before. Pregnant women have become untouchables.

No, Immigration Is Not Making Housing Less Affordable

Despite politicians' claims to the contrary, immigration is not making housing unaffordable. In fact, immigration can be part of the solution.

Make Your Vote Count 

This 2024 election is gaining on us and the pressure to get to the ballot box is intense and...

Michigan’s Prescient Lesson: Vote While You Still Can!!! 

Michigan's non-elected Emergency Manager dictatorship made Flint's water crisis possible. Pay attention to the danger of losing our Democratic rights as we’ve known them in this election. Vote while you still can!

US Doctors Tell Biden, Harris They ‘Witnessed Crimes Beyond Comprehension’ in Gaza

US doctors who visited Gaza tell Biden, Harris they've never seen such horrific injuries, on such a massive scale, with so few resources, that our bombs are cutting down women and children, and that a ceasefire must be imposed.

More from the People's Tribune