Immigrants and Crime: Perception vs. Reality

Years ago, coyotes were small operators often smuggling the same illegal immigrants into the U.S. from year to year. “Now, organized gangs own the people-smuggling trade,”

writes Millman. “According to U.S. and Mexican police, this is partly an unintended consequence of a border crackdown. Making crossings more difficult drove up their cost, attracting brutal Mexican crime rings that forced the small operators out of business.”9 Much of the lawlessness and the violation of the rights of property owners could be eliminated with the introduction of increased legal means of entry for the foreign-born to work in the U.S. Foreign-born workers do not wish to cross hazardous terrain or risk kidnapping at the hands of smugglers any more than an American would. The best way to reduce lawlessness along the border is to put
in place a work visa law that removes the profits from smugglers and thereby reduces the risks faced by would-be foreign workers and U.S. property owners.Immigrants and Crime: Perception vs. Reality -

The June issue of Cato's monthly newsletter on immigration reform, just released, tackles immigration and crime. The bulletin finds that, contrary to public perception, immigration has not caused higher crime rates, in Arizona or in the nation as a whole. In fact, one new study even suggests that a rising level of immigration in a city actually leads to lower crime rates.

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