Fact check: What are the crime rates among undocumented immigrants in the US compared to native-born citizens?

1. Summary of the results

The overwhelming body of research consistently demonstrates that undocumented immigrants have significantly lower crime rates than native-born U.S. citizens. Multiple independent studies provide compelling evidence for this conclusion:

• Stanford University research found that immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated compared to native-born Americans ^[1]
• CATO Institute studies revealed that undocumented immigrants are 37.1% less likely to be convicted of a crime ^[1]
• Texas-specific data shows undocumented immigrants are arrested at less than half the rate of native-born citizens for violent and drug crimes, and at only a quarter the rate for property crimes ^[2]
• Research indicates that crime rates actually decline as the immigrant share of the population grows ^[3]
• Studies found no statistically significant correlation between immigrant population shares and total crime rates at the state level ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal several important contextual factors often omitted from public discourse:

Enforcement and Deportation Data:

• Government sources focus heavily on ICE arrests and removals, with reports showing that three in four ICE arrests were of criminal illegal aliens ^[4]
• U.S. Border Patrol data highlights arrests of individuals with criminal convictions, but this data is limited to those apprehended at the border and doesn't represent the broader undocumented population ^[5]
• Department of Homeland Security reports emphasize the removal of "violent criminal illegal aliens" and correlate this with decreases in certain violent crimes ^[6]

Methodological Considerations:

• The research shows that immigrants might have less law enforcement contact compared to nonimmigrants, which could influence crime statistics ^[7]
• No evidence of an increase in crime rates among undocumented immigrants between 2012 and 2018 was found in longitudinal studies ^[2]

Beneficiaries of Different Narratives:

• Immigration enforcement agencies and contractors benefit financially from narratives emphasizing immigrant criminality, as this justifies expanded budgets and operations
• Political figures and organizations advocating for stricter immigration policies gain support by promoting fears about immigrant crime
• Research institutions and advocacy groups supporting immigrant rights benefit from studies showing lower crime rates among immigrants

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself appears neutral and fact-seeking rather than containing explicit misinformation. However, the framing could inadvertently perpetuate bias by:

• Implying that higher crime rates among undocumented immigrants might be expected, when the established research consistently shows the opposite
• Failing to acknowledge the robust existing research that has already comprehensively addressed this question with clear findings ^{[1] [2] [3] [7]}

The most significant potential for misinformation lies in selective use of enforcement data ^{[6] [5] [4]} without the proper context that these statistics represent only those undocumented immigrants who have been arrested or deported, not the broader undocumented population. This creates a sampling bias that could misleadingly suggest higher crime rates when the comprehensive research shows the opposite pattern.