Eric Galatas, Producer
Monday, July 22, 2024
During last week's Republican National Convention, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Americans are not safe due to immigrants committing violent crimes.
That's just one claim being challenged by leading immigration experts.
Nancy Foner, Ph.D., professor of Sociology at City University of New York's Hunter College, said labeling immigrants as criminals is an old, but persistent, myth.
She pointed to data showing that the vast majority of immigrants are not violent criminals.
"The foreign born, in fact, are much less likely than the native-born to commit violent crimes," said Foner. "And in fact, cities and neighborhoods with greater concentrations of immigrants have much lower crime and violence than comparable non-immigrant neighborhoods."
Immigrants were also blamed for smuggling fentanyl across the 2,000-mile southern border.
But according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 90% of the drugs linked to overdose deaths are smuggled by U.S. citizens through legal ports of entry.
Cruz also said immigrants were being allowed into the U.S. to vote in the upcoming elections - a conspiracy theory about something that never, or almost never, happens.
David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, pointed out that non-citizens are not legally allowed to vote in federal elections, and don't in part because they could be immediately deported if caught.
"To cast one ballot in an election in which 160 million ballots are going to be cast, it happens exceedingly rarely," said Becker, "largely because the states and federal government already have really good policies in place."
Others claimed immigrants were "receiving welfare."
Pia Orrenius, vice president and senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, said immigrants are not eligible for the SNAP program (formerly known as food stamps), Social Security or other benefits - although they do pay payroll and other taxes that fund those programs.
She said immigrants actually strengthen America's economy, but local governments can feel squeezed if immigrants earn low wages.
"That negative impact, it mostly comes from education," said Orrenius. "K-12 education is expensive. The spending on education is an investment. Those investments are going to pay back many times what's invested."
get more stories like this via email

Social Issues
By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient/Just and Climate-Friendly …
Environment
As the Trump administration considers oil, gas and mining on lands owned by all Americans, including in national monuments designated under the …
Social Issues
Connecticut education advocates feel Gov. Ned Lamont's 2026-2027 budget proposal continues a history of underfunding education. While the new budget …
Health and Wellness
An Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee has unanimously approved a bill that would exempt nursing mothers from jury duty. The proposal comes after an …
Ohio Senate Bill 1 is drawing strong reactions across the state, particularly from students in higher education. The bill, which its supporters say …
Social Issues
An effort to increase students heading into high-demand jobs from North Carolina's community colleges is receiving a "boost." The N-C Community Colleg…
Social Issues
A January report shows that in rural counties home to large numbers of American Indians, including in Montana, people are more likely to rely on …
Environment
Virginia is the ninth-likeliest state for a driver to hit wildlife but environmental advocates are working to change it. One in 76 people in …