There’s No Link Between Crime and Unauthorized Immigration

A recent study published in the Journal of Urban Affairs has found no correlation between unauthorized immigration and crime rates in U.S. neighborhoods. Led by researchers from the University of California, Irvine, the study analyzed crime statistics from 11,500 neighborhoods over a decade and did not find evidence that an increase in unauthorized immigrants led to higher crime rates.

In fact, neighborhoods with the largest growth in undocumented immigrants actually experienced more reductions in property crime and aggravated assaults. Study author Charis E. Kubrin stated that "unauthorized immigration doesn't drive crime rates in U.S. neighborhoods." The study's findings align with previous research that has reached similar conclusions.

Kubrin noted that "immigrants aren't more likely to perpetrate the crimes, they're more likely to be victims of them." In areas with a larger population of undocumented immigrants, robberies increased, but the researchers believe this can be explained by the "Walking ATM" phenomenon. This refers to the fact that undocumented immigrants are more likely to be targets of robbery due to their involvement in the cash economy, less likelihood of having bank accounts, and reluctance to report crimes.

Study co-author John Hipp explained that "an increase in robberies, despite decreases in all other crime categories, would be consistent with the idea that undocumented immigrants are disproportionately likely to be targets of robbery given greater involvement in the cash economy." The study's results call into question the Trump administration's justification for increased immigration enforcement, which has been based on the false assumption that immigrants commit crimes at higher rates.

Kubrin emphasized that "it's well beyond time to rethink immigration enforcement in this country," as these policies are ineffective at enhancing public safety and may do more harm than good.