You mean people aren’t coming to the US to rape our women and rob our houses? WHAT?!?!?!
Sadly, this brand new study that immigrants aren’t the criminals 73% (!!!!!) of Americans believe them to be is indeed a revelation. Joking aside, this article, “Do Immigrants Make Us Safer?” in the Times’ Sunday Magazine is well worth a read, even if only to affirm what you already know. Basically, it establishes that neighborhoods inhabited by illegal immigrants are much safer than white and black neighborhoods, despite high levels of poverty and other factors normally linked to crime.
But what we wonder–and we wonder why this is not mentioned at all in the article–if whether this is not directly linked to the inherent nature of being “illegal” (as opposed to strong family ties or moral values–not to say that these aren’t present too)? O sea, si no tienes papeles and you get arrested, back to Mexico you go. The article reports that crime is indeed more prevalent among the second generation. But the second generation doesn’t have to fear deportation.
Anyway, some food for thought…
Click here for the full article (must have login to view full text).