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FACT BRIEF

Are undocumented immigrants crossing the US border more likely than native-born Americans to commit crimes?

By Tom Kertscher
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NO

Research contradicts the claim that immigrants are more likely than native-born Americans to commit crimes.

A study led by a Stanford University researcher updated in March 2024 found from 1870 to 2020 immigrant males had lower incarceration rates than US-born males and "immigrants today are 60% less likely to be incarcerated."

The academic authors of a 2023 book, “Immigration and Crime,” said studies generally show no relationship between immigration and crime.

University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers in a 2020 study found in Texas, felony arrest rates were lower among undocumented immigrants compared with native-born U.S. citizens. For violent crimes, U.S.-born citizens were twice as likely as undocumented immigrants to be arrested.

The crime claim was made in congressional testimony by former immigration judge Matthew O’Brien.

U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, who represents part of eastern Wisconsin, mentioned the claim at an April 2, 2024, campaign event for Donald Trump in Green Bay.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
National Bureau of Economic Research Law-Abiding Immigrants: The Incarceration Gap Between Immigrants And The Us-Born, 1870–2020
CNN I asked criminologists about immigration and crime in the US. Their answers may surprise you
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Comparing crime rates between undocumented immigrants, legal immigrants, and native-born US citizens in Texas
GOP Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Hearing
FOX6 News Milwaukee Former President Trump Wisconsin visit; targets border, crime | FOX6 News Milwaukee
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.