Thread: Illegal doesn't make them criminals

Bleeding Heart Editorial in Indianapolis Star

July 24, 2007 (3 weeks ago)

Today's editorial
Illegal doesn't make them criminals
July 24, 2007


Our position: There is little evidence that undocumented immigrants are more likely to commit violent crimes.

Last week's arrest of 14 illegal immigrants for their alleged ties to two notorious gangs might provide interesting insights into how those groups operate.

But the arrests should not strengthen stereotypes that paint immigrants as law-breaking desperados who came to the United States to expand their criminal activities.

Young male immigrants, including those who arrived in this country without proper documentation, are five times less likely to land in prison than their native-born counterparts, according to a 2005 study of U.S. Census Bureau data by Kristin Butcher, a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and Rutgers University criminologist Anne Morrison Piehl.

Young male immigrants -- who made up 17 percent of the total young male population in 2000 -- accounted for just 4 percent of the prison population in 2000, the study showed.

These statistics offer further support of some sort of reforms that accurately reflect the economic and social realities created by and faced by immigrants.

President George Bush recently made a strong move for reform, but it was rejected by the U.S. Senate. Though passionate debate over immigration reform has cooled since last year's round of rallies, the stereotype of undocumented immigrants as violent criminals remains one underlying reason against more liberalized immigration laws.

The gang-related arrests in Indianapolis, which has experienced an increase in crime as its immigrant population has grown, perpetuates the stereotype. So do other highly publicized incidents such as the 2004 scandal at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, in which four workers allegedly aided undocumented immigrants in obtaining licenses. In another case, a man was returned to his homeland after facing child molestation charges.
But the research done by Butcher and Piehl shows that criminal activity is more the exception than the rule among immigrants.

In their analysis of census and crime data, the researchers determined that urban areas with the greatest increases in immigrant populations have also seen the greatest decreases in crime. More importantly, those committing felonies are sent back to their former homelands; 31 percent of those deported were sent back because of criminal activity.

Entering the country without documentation is illegal, which is why that description is commonly used. The problem lies not with the immigrants, but with a dysfunctional immigration quota system originally created to ban certain racial and ethnic groups from the country.

The fact that some immigrants must wait more than 20 years to become permanent legal residents suggests weaknesses with the system. Stereotypes and generalizations shouldn't be allowed to further confuse this complex issue.

Most illegal immigrants quickly integrate into the nation's economic and social fabric. That reality, not the myth of violent crime, is what deserves notice in this debate.

NOTE: there are 956 comments to this piece at:
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/india ... L137BVR7SF

Look up the word criminal in the dictionary.

Hmm, so you mean the fact that they broke our countries laws to get here, falsified documents to work, and are not paying income taxes doesn't mean their criminals? I've got to get me a better dictionary!

Wow. That's an amazing response....957. I read up until 300, and only 2 responses were pro-illegal.

This article was probably written by an illegal.

Notice they used 2005 statistics maybe they should check newer numbers of course if the are pro illegals they don't want to print the truth !!!

Our position: There is little evidence that undocumented immigrants are more likely to commit violent crimes.

If they aren't more prone then why are they complaining about ANY attempt to enforce ANY laws. If being here illegally is the ONLY crime you've committed....then you shouldn't be worried about a seat belt check or a license and insurance stop or whether the police find a ton of phony ID's in your wallet or if there's DUI checks etc. etc. etc. Problem is I doubt seriously there's a handful who can claim being here illegally is the ONLY crime and they just don't want people to see just how many laws they are breaking. I mean how many are falsely claiming children or relatives to get out of taxes or not paying taxes or getting aid they shouldn't get if they were telling the truth. Especially with the hispanics...if they aren't more prone to violent crimes then why the gangs and why the rushing people on stage and fights and threats of violence all the time for anyone who doesn't see it their way. Why the added torture to their victims? Why the obvious problems with beating their wives and rapes and child molestation? It's not that non-immigrants don't do those same things.....but when people come from 3rd world countries and that behavior is their "norm" and it's acceptable....you aren't going to change the instant you hit American soil. People have looked the other way and many have isolated themselves in communities where people don't report those crimes.......so obviously they just aren't getting CAUGHT....doesn't mean they aren't doing it.

Illegal Immigration is a Crime


Under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by Alien," any citizen of any country other than the United States who:
Enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers; or
Eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers; or
Attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact;
has committed a federal crime.

Violations are punishable by criminal fines and imprisonment for up to six months. Repeat offenses can bring up to two years in prison. Additional civil fines may be imposed at the discretion of immigration judges, but civil fines do not negate the criminal sanctions or nature of the offense.
See: Unlawful entry a crime since '29 - Rocky Mountain News -- June 11, 2006
In addition to sneaking into the country in violation of the immigration law that requires that aliens be documented for legal entry (referred to as "entry without inspection -- EWI"), others enter with legal documentation and then violate the terms on which they have been admitted by taking jobs that are not authorized or overstaying the authorized period of stay in the country.

"Any alien who is present in the United States in violation of this Act or any other law of the United States is deportable."

http://www.americanpatrol.com/REFERENCE/isacrime.html

Originally Posted by dyehard39

Illegal Immigration is a Crime

you ought to either email or write a rebuttal to that article quoting that.

Does this mean that Americans going into Mexico Illegal wouldn't be prosecuted? Bull----. They would throw you in jail after you were beaten or raped. If you actually lived threw it. Our Government wants us to be free to wander in and out of Mexico. Why would anyone even consider going to MEXICO? When their own people are running away from the country!

Nice post, dyehard39. I will be sending this information to each one of my Senators and Congressmen, both at the Federal and State level. I will be informing them that unless they support and push for TOTAL ENFORCEMENT, they will be held accountable.