The debate around immigration in the United States has been ongoing for decades, with some critics arguing that the country used to attract high-quality immigrants from Europe, but is now being overwhelmed by immigrants from “backward” countries. However, a recent study by researchers Ran Abramitzky, Leah Platt Boustan, Elisa Jácome, Santiago Pérez, and Juan David Torres challenges this narrative and suggests that the golden age of immigration is actually happening now, not in the past.
The study, published in a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) paper, reveals that immigrant men have had a lower incarceration rate than US-born men for the last 150 years of American history. By analyzing full-count Census data from 1870 to 1940 and Census/ACS samples from 1950 to 2020, the researchers were able to construct a nationally representative series of incarceration rates for immigrants and the US-born over time. The findings show that while immigrants’ incarceration rate was only slightly lower than that of US-born men from 1870 to 1950, a significant shift occurred in 1960. Since then, immigrants have become significantly less likely to be incarcerated than their US-born counterparts, despite having characteristics often associated with involvement in the criminal justice system such as being younger, non-white, lower income, and less educated.
Today, immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than all US-born men, and 30% less likely to be incarcerated compared to white US-born men. This data challenges common misconceptions about immigrants and crime rates, debunking arguments that suggest immigrants are more likely to engage in criminal behavior than native-born Americans. As the study highlights, the lower crime rates among immigrants compared to native-born whites discredits several common arguments against immigration.
First, the idea that the US is in danger of overpopulation is debunked by the declining fertility rate, which is currently at 1.7 births per woman. Second, the notion that immigrants cause higher unemployment is refuted by the fact that unemployment rates are determined by monetary policy and regulations, not immigration. Third, the misconception that immigrants cause more crime is debunked by the data showing that immigration actually makes the country safer. Additionally, the claim that immigrants lower wages for unskilled workers is challenged by recent trends showing rising wages for low-income workers.
Furthermore, the argument that immigration will favor one political party is also disproven, as immigrants are rapidly adopting the political views of native-born Americans. These findings suggest that many of the common arguments against immigration are outdated and have been discredited by current data and research.
In conclusion, the study’s findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between immigration and crime rates in the US, challenging common misconceptions and highlighting the positive contributions that immigrants make to society. It is important to consider these facts when engaging in discussions about immigration policy and to base arguments on reliable data and research rather than outdated stereotypes and misinformation.
