Illegal Immigration Is Stable
Trump cites crime and costs associated with illegal immigration; Democrats say he overstates the problem
Here is a look at some of key numbers behind U.S. immigration:
CRIME CONCLUSIONS:
The National Academy of Sciences examined numerous academic studies on crime rates by immigrants and concluded they are less likely than the native-born population to commit crimes. It also concluded that neighborhoods with greater concentrations of immigrants have lower rates of crime and violence than comparable nonimmigrant neighborhoods. The study didn’t examine crime rates specifically among undocumented immigrants. Overall, crime rates fell in the U.S. as the size of the unauthorized immigrant population rose in the past two decades.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of immigration to U.S. taxpayers remains a subject of debate and disagreement. Immigrants in the country illegally aren’t eligible for most federal benefits, including Social Security, Medicare, housing and food assistance. They pay sales taxes and some tax in other forms, contributing to revenues, but some also benefit from public education and hospital care supported by state and local governments. According the National Academy of Sciences first-generation immigrants in all cost the federal, state and local governments more in benefits than the immigrants produce in taxes. That is reversed for second generation citizens and reversed again for third.
Estimated Fiscal Impact of Immigrants and Their DescendantsSource: National Academies of Sciences: “The Economic and Fiscal Consequences