Thread: AZ-Drop in crime coincides with exodus of illegal immigrants

Thursday, July 30, 2009, 3:04pm MST
Drop in crime coincides with exodus of illegal immigrants


by Mike Sunnucks



A marked drop in Phoenix-area crime coincides with the recession and a drop in the number of illegal immigrants in Arizona.

Phoenix has seen a 25 percent decline in the number of crimes during the first five months of 2009 compared to the same time period in 2007 when the economy began to slow. Violent crime in Phoenix is down 12 percent, according crime statistics from the Phoenix Police Department.

The Mesa Police Department reports a 19 percent decrease in total crimes for the first half of 2009 versus the first half of 2007, including a 10 percent drop in violent crime. Tempe has seen a 25 percent total drop.

At the same time, the state’s illegal immigrant population has decreased by as much as one-third thanks to the down U.S. economy, tougher enforcement polices by the federal government and Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the state’s employer sanctions law which goes after businesses who hire undocumented workers, said Steven Camarota, director of the Center for Immigration Studies.

CIS estimates Arizona’s illegal immigrant population has gone from 579,000 in 2007 to 388,000 this year — 191,000-person drop.

Camarota said enforcement was the initial reason for the drop in illegal immigration in Arizona, but now it’s more due to the lack of jobs for migrants entering the U.S. from Mexico.

Arizona has lost 239,500 — 9 percent of its work force — since the recession began in late 2007, according the Economic Policy Institute. Those job losses have been heavy in industries such as construction, restaurants and services.

CIS estimates the U.S. illegal immigrant population has dropped from 12.5 million in 2007 to 10.8 million now.

Tempe total crimes
Jan.-June 2007: 6,532
Jan.-June 2009: 4,955
Phoenix total crimes
Jan.-May 2007: 50,898
Jan.-May 2009: 38,257
Phoenix violent crimes:

Jan.-May 2007: 4,706
Jan.-May 2009: 4,153
Mesa total crimes
Jan.-June 2007: 11,016
Jan.-June 2009: 8,910
Mesa violent crimes
Jan.-June 2007: 1,091
Jan.-June 2009: 981
Source: Police departments


http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stor ... a=from_rss

hmmmm....they say San Diegos crime rate has dropped also. I wonder if it's for the same reason? Doubt it!

Great News about the crime rate but still our FAMILIES are at the mercy of the remaining ILLEGALS and their Anchors being murdered, raped, infected with disease, or robbed. We can see the results of the ILLEGAL invasion in our courts every day! But NOT to worry the Chamber of Commerce will get their cheap labor increasing their privatized PROFITS while socializing the benefits for their ILLEGALS on the back of U. S. Citizens, thanks to our past and current Presidents, the Congressional Leadership(?), and local elected and appointed officials!