The Crime Myth: Why Immigrants Are Not to Blame for Crime in America
Politicians like Trump fuel the narrative—but the numbers tell a very different story.
For every 100 immigrants living in the United States, only about 2 to 3 commit any crime in a given year. That means 97 to 98 immigrants out of 100 do not break the law.
Introduction
For years, the idea that immigrants, particularly those without legal status, are the main drivers of crime in America has been repeated on TV, in political speeches, and across social media. It's been used to justify aggressive immigration policies and stoke division. But it’s simply not true.
This article sets the record straight. By looking at actual crime data, incarceration trends, and real-world context, we’ll show how this myth crumbles under the weight of facts.
The data resources we used to investigate this story included the FBI, ICE Removal and Enforcement Statistics, Cato Institute, American Immigration Council, Reuters, U.S. Gov House Docs, Brennan Center for Justice, NPR, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Migration Policy Institute, U.S. Sentencing Commission, National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, and others.
If you're someone who cares about law and order, or if you're just trying to understand what’s really going on, read on. Understanding how crime actually plays out in this country starts by asking a simple question: Over the last 20 years, who is committing the crimes?
Total Crime in America
Each year, about 14 million crimes are reported in the United States. These include everything from violent acts to property theft and drug offenses. Despite what many believe, immigrants are not behind most of these crimes. In fact, native-born Americans account for the vast majority.
Here’s the general breakdown:
- Native-born citizens are responsible for about 88 percent of all reported crimes.
- Undocumented immigrants commit roughly 6 percent.
- Documented immigrants account for another 6 percent.
Put another way: although immigrants make up about 14 to 15 percent of the total U.S. population, they are involved in only 12 percent of crimes. That's not overrepresentation. That’s underrepresentation.
Violent Crime
Politicians often use violent crime to stir public fear. The suggestion is that immigrants bring violence. But the numbers tell another story.
Each year, there are about 1.2 million violent crimes in the United States. Native-born citizens commit more than 90 percent of them. Undocumented immigrants account for around 5 percent, and documented immigrants make up about 4 percent.
So when you hear people claim immigrants are responsible for surges in violent crime, you should know that those claims are misleading at best and deliberately false at worst.
Property Crime
Now let’s talk about property crimes like theft, burglary, and arson. These make up the majority of reported crimes in the U.S., totaling over 6.5 million each year.
Native-born citizens commit nearly 89 percent of these crimes. Undocumented immigrants are responsible for about 6 percent. Documented immigrants? Just 5 percent. Again, nothing here supports the idea that immigrants are driving criminal activity.
Drug Offenses
Drug offenses are where critics sometimes claim immigrants cause more problems. But this is mostly a distortion of the facts. While the percentage of undocumented immigrants arrested for drug offenses is slightly higher than for other crime categories, native-born Americans still commit most drug crimes.
Of roughly 1.2 million drug arrests each year:
- 84 percent involve native-born Americans.
- 10 percent involve undocumented immigrants.
- 6 percent involve documented immigrants.
Even in this area, the numbers don’t back the political rhetoric. Most drug arrests involving immigrants are for possession, often near border regions. They are not the kingpins or traffickers that fear-based narratives suggest.
Homicide
The most serious crime, of course, is homicide. Each year, the United States sees around 20,000 homicides. Here’s how those numbers break down:
- 93 percent are committed by native-born citizens.
- 4 percent by undocumented immigrants.
- 3 percent by documented immigrants.
In other words, 93 out of every 100 homicides in America are committed by someone born in this country. The idea that immigrants are fueling a murder wave simply does not hold up to scrutiny.
Incarceration
Look at who’s in our jails and prisons. Out of the 2 million people incarcerated in the U.S. today:
- About 90 percent are native-born.
- Roughly 5 to 6 percent are undocumented immigrants.
- Just 3 to 4 percent are documented immigrants.
So not only do immigrants commit fewer crimes, but they’re also less likely to be incarcerated than U.S.-born citizens. That’s not a statistic you hear very often, and yet it’s one of the clearest indicators that the public narrative is wrong.
What Does This Mean in Real-Life Terms?
Let’s make this more relatable. For every 100 immigrants living in the United States, only about 2 to 3 commit any crime in a given year. That means 97 to 98 immigrants out of 100 do not break the law. Compare that to the roughly 3.3 out of every 100 native-born Americans who commit a crime. Statistically, you are more likely to be the victim of a crime committed by a native-born American than an immigrant.
Why the Myth Persists
So if the facts are so clear, why does this myth about immigrant crime persist?
Because fear is useful. People like Donald Trump know that it makes for great headlines. It wins political points. It simplifies complex social problems into soundbites that are easy to sell. It’s easier to blame immigrants than to have honest conversations about poverty, mental health, education, and systemic inequality.
And frankly, because some politicians benefit from division. Creating an "us versus them" dynamic distracts from their failure to address the real issues facing American families.
Conclusion: Immigrants Are Not the Problem
The data is clear. The argument is settled. Immigrants—both documented and undocumented—are not causing America’s crime problems. In fact, they’re often less likely to commit crimes than the citizens pointing fingers at them.
If we want to reduce crime, we should invest in things that work: mental health care, education, economic opportunity, and community-based prevention strategies. What we should not do is waste time, energy, and money chasing myths.
Mitch Jackson, Esq. | links
Related:
Immigrants Are Not the Problem—They’re the Promise
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Prior to Trump taking office for his second term, many people would say they didn’t mind deporting violent immigrants (illegal or otherwise). Many did not think Trump would snatch legal immigrants or even U.S. citizens. Certainly many did not think a legal immigrants could be snatched and sent to a prison in El Salvador after the government admits it made a mistake. I would fight for the rule of law in every instance. That includes due process and a right to be heard. Yes, even for violent offenders. We can’t say that the rule of law should only be applied to legal immigrants; it must be provided to everyone. The second major concern is sending them out of the country - not back to their country of origin - and to a prison that most would agree is cruel and unusual punishment. 100 people to a cell, 23-1/2 hours in a civil, no access to an attorney or family. Given those stats, one can only wonder about the medical care provided to prisoners. The situation is horrific and inhumane. Is it meant to scare us? Yes. And it does but we have to keep our eyes on the goal of restoring democracy to all.