Skip to content
Navigating a New Political Landscape: View real-time updates about the impact of and Northeastern's response to recent political changes.
Apply
Stories

Data is clear that immigrants don’t increase crime in the United States, expert says

People in this story

People line up against a border wall as they wait to apply for asylum after crossing the border from Mexico, July 11, 2023, near Yuma, Ariz. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

President-elect Donald Trump is entering the White House with an ambitious day one agenda of executive orders and policies, chief among them a mass deportation plan that would target millions of undocumented immigrants. Trump has mentioned scaling back the federal program granting temporary legal status to hundreds of thousands of immigrants, deputizing local police departments to act as ICE agents and targeting immigrants with criminal records. On the campaign trail and after the election, Trump has argued these efforts are necessary to cut down on what he calls “migrant crime.” However, despite repeated claims by Trump and others that immigrants are bringing more crime to the U.S., Jacob Stowell, an associate professor of criminology and criminal justice, says the data clearly shows otherwise.

“There’s absolutely no evidence –– none whatsoever –– that that’s what’s happening on this unprecedented level,” Stowell says. “Not only is crime not going up, it’s not even remaining static. It’s continuing this downward trend as immigration continues to grow.” National crime rates peaked in the 1980s, but between 1980 and 1990 it dropped by 30.8% and since then has fallen dramatically year over year, Stowell notes. In fact, almost every major form of crime, from violent crime to property crime, has decreased in that time period. It’s not just a historical trend either: Between 2023 and 2024, violent crime fell by 10.3%. 

Continue reading at Northeastern Global News.

More Stories

Gas pump fills a tank

Will the Federal Reserve pause rate cuts after January’s inflation uptick?

02.12.2025
A drawing depicts steam engines in America.

What is Jevons Paradox? And why it may — or may not — predict AI’s future

02.07.2025
Heart-shaped box of chocolates

How a Victorian-era marketing ploy made chocolate the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift

02.14.25
All Stories