Urban Legends

New immigrants may be the best thing that ever happened to American cities, but don't wait for the leading presidential candidates to tell you that.

By Christopher Dickey | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Nov 28, 2007 | Updated: 4:28 p.m. ET Nov 28, 2007

« Return to Article

Discuss

Posted By: t9900 @ 11/30/2007 7:09:17 PM

Comment: You know its interesting because the liberals claim the conservatives are racist and forgot that they were once immigrants yet not realize we are against ILLEGAL immigrants. I don't care if they are European, if they came here illegal they should be deported. The liberals need to shut up about the conservatives because its the liberals that are supporting criminals.
It amazes me how anybody could support ILLEGAL immigration.
Illegal-1. forbidden by law or statute.
2. contrary to or forbidden by official rules, regulations, etc.: The referee ruled that it was an illegal forward pass.
means your a criminal
Posted By: oldgrouch @ 11/30/2007 11:31:24 AM

Comment: Sorry for the typos, I have a problem with my browser
Posted By: oldgrouch @ 11/30/2007 10:41:11 AM

Comment: As is so often the case, two things are lumped together to try and prove one point. Despite the rhetoric being thrown around, most conservatives do not oppose immigration, they oppose ILLEGAL immigration. I sincerely hope the immigrant cops you mentioned came here legally. If you pay attention to the quotes I saw in your piece, Most if not all are talking about immigrants in general, not illegals.
I notice there are some statistics yoionate percentage of illegals in the penal system.
Posted By: rromanie @ 11/30/2007 8:12:11 AM

Comment: Are you crazy?

What more do you have to offer than rhetorical evidence to support such an outlandish assertion that the way to keep the crime rate down is not to question the status of illegals, or worse yet, to endorse or promote it? (???And it's not just that newly arrived immigrants are less likely to be part of an urban nightmare, it's that they bring their own positive dreams.???) Come on!

Sure you quote statistics such as ???Nationwide, over the last 15 years we've seen the largest wave of immigration, in absolute numbers, both legal and illegal, ever to reach the shores of the United States. Foreigners fresh off the boat, so to speak, now represent almost 13 percent of the U.S. population???, granted, but does this naturally mean that the illegals are responsible for the lower crime rate.

You obviously have an agenda as is evidenced by your support for Hillary???s confusion (read ???Flip-flop???).

With regard to the terror front, as you call it, how about the fact that it was recently discovered that Al Qaeda has formed bonds w/Mexican drug cartels to transport terrorists into the US, or how about the fact that all of the 9-11 hijackers were from parts outside of the US? I guess they were here legally so this doesn???t fall into your overall assertion that only illegals make us safer.

Please don???t try to palm off the misguided idea that illegals equate to less crime. It just does not follow. Good try, but we can see thru your agenda. What???s sad is that there are some that would buy your ???logic???.

The only thing that made sense in your piece was the statement: ???So the debates go on, with every discussion of illegal aliens ever more alienated from the facts at hand???.
Posted By: Frankie Denise @ 11/30/2007 1:24:21 AM

Comment: I moved to Florida from northern NJ in 1980 when I was 20...same year as the Mariel Boatlift and the year the Miami skyline began construction with cocaine drug money. Since then, south Florida has been innundated with Hispanics from third world countries whose culture provides an extreme shock factor. I moved out of my first home in 1994 because a house a block away became filled with an increasing group of these people who allowed their eight children ages 2-10 to roam the neighborhood unsupervised, and their house eventually just had holes in the walls where there once were windows and doors...and dirt instead of grass, not even weeds. I am now starting to witness the deterioration of the once upscale neighborhood I moved to. I have a 'For Sale' sign on my house and had TWO CARLOADS of Hispanics pull into my driveway, knock on my door (about 10 people) and ask how many bedrooms I have! You may recall the immigrant 27 yr old Mexican cocaine trafficker 'father', his 26 yr old wife, and two toddler sons shot dead on the FL turnpike in St Lucie county a year ago. Their Mexican family who live in Texas were not as shocked as the unfortunate motorist who found the bodies. It's common to see memorials to the deceased plastered on rear windows of vehicles down here. Pathetic! This is one huge culture America can do without. The other is Haitians. Just last week over the Thanksgiving holiday, another boat full washed up on the shore of Jupiter Island. They actually went to someones house to ask for directions! One died in the surf. This is not the way to emigrate. It's unfair to all. I'm tired of being forced to deal with it daily, and on top of it, having to pay for it.
Posted By: eddchan @ 11/29/2007 11:03:57 PM

Comment: Also, by accepting more illegals, it doesn't help their own country, they should try to duplicate our form of democracy to improve their own country. This way it helps more people instead of running away from the problem by coming to the US. USe your head, they should fix their own country, and as americans we should help them. And those who ashamed of being american, isn't it ironic that they want to be americans?
Posted By: eddchan @ 11/29/2007 11:00:33 PM

Comment: i want to see him compare crime statistics of ILLEGAL immigrants to those that came here LEGALLY. Listen i don't mind immigrants but those that come here illegally can destroy the economy. And people like Christopher Dickey, think they're slick in making it a issue about immigration but its about those that sneak in to this country. They're not immigrants but tresspassers.

E. Chan
Posted By: eddchan @ 11/29/2007 10:57:09 PM

Comment: i want to see him compare the crimes committed by ILLEGAL immigrants compared to those Immigrants that came here LEGALLY.
Posted By: ApolloKnowsAll @ 11/29/2007 7:40:59 PM

Comment: We are a nation of laws. What part of ILLEGAL do you try to rationalize? Invading America with the desire of 'reconquista' and you think that is ok?

We have legal paths to citizenship. Breaking in and violating our borders does not make me want to welcome you in. Apply for legal status and then see how welcomed you are. Open arms!! But break in through the back door and my dog will bite your butt and not let go until you leave.
Posted By: spwoods @ 11/29/2007 6:10:41 PM

Comment: People need to read more history...the things the racists are proclaiming in their invective against this article sound exactly like the racists who opposed Chinese immigrants in California and Irish and Italian immigrants in New York in the 19th century. Somethings never change -- the ignorant children of immigrants forget where they came from and how their people were treated and spew their hate on the new immigrants.
- Posted By: ApolloKnowsAll @ 11/29/2007 7:52:06 PM
  
  Comment: What would happen to you if you used fake ID to get a job and apply for federal benefits?
  
  ID Fraud. Felony. You would lose voting rights and would go to jail. Illegal alien doing it? No big deal...Mike Huckabee would give you an instate scholarship!
Posted By: Slackidasical @ 11/29/2007 5:11:17 PM

Comment: I am an immigrant myself. I do not enjoy people telling me that I am a "cancer" in this. I pay my taxes just the same as you.
- Posted By: free067 @ 11/29/2007 9:17:35 PM
  
  Comment: I didn't get to finish my post. Anyway, I think "heinz 57" is correct. Anyway, I am a mixture of several nationalities.
Posted By: dolamite@shentel.net @ 11/29/2007 4:20:06 PM

Comment: ANOTHER BLEEDING HEART MISINFORMED LIBERAL!!! YOU MAKE UP YOUR OWN TRUTH.
Posted By: rlapaugh @ 11/29/2007 3:30:15 PM

Comment: What CRAP! Try living in Larado, Tx. and tell me about the low crime rate. The place is like Iraq wit
opposing sides armed with machine guns and grenade launchers! Or come to one of the border states
and watch as your schools, hospitals, jails, roads and every public place is over-run with non-English speaking, NON-PAYING, mobs!!!!! You are just another "pointy headed liberal"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted By: rlapaugh @ 11/29/2007 3:28:16 PM

Comment: What CRAP! Try living in Larado, Tx. and tell me about the low crime rate. The place is like Iraq wit
opposing sides armed with machine guns and grenade launchers! Or come to one of the border states
and watch as your schools, hospitals, jails, roads and every public place is over-run with non-English speaking, NON-PAYING, mobs!!!!! You are just another "pointy headed liberal"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted By: lgcgmfpllgg @ 11/29/2007 3:20:11 PM

Comment: I wish that the children of most US citizens had the passion and drive to learn like the immigrants' children do.
I wish that the children of most US citizens had the repect and manners of the immigrants' children.
I wish that most US parents would take the responsibility to have their children attend school daily, prepared, clean and feed like the immigrants' children.
It seems that more and more US parents are willing to blame everyone and anyone for their child's poor performance at school, in the community, in life...generally the expectations are very low.
Immigrants expect their children to learn English, do well in school, behave in the community and have good lives.

As US citizens, we need to stop expecting handouts, making excuses for ourself and our children. The US adults need to start setting be examples for our children.
- Posted By: ApolloKnowsAll @ 11/29/2007 7:46:26 PM
  
  Comment: cover story in the Seattle Times yesterday was how the school district is going to let tons of 'passionate and driven' [according to you] 'students' who can't speak English.
  They are so driven that they don't even learn the language of the country
  Yes, English is required here. Do you want a multilingual country? Why?? They do not work. Belgium is on the brink of sploitting in two because of flemish/french...Canada nd le canada hate each other...my ancestors were Briti.... my ancestors were British, Danish Swedish, German, ...and I speak English and French, but my grndparetnts could not have communicated had they not integrated.
  - Posted By: free067 @ 11/29/2007 9:09:35 PM
    
    Comment: Why do you defend them? Maybe you should go live in Mexico where a lot of our big manufacturing companies went so they could hire cheap labor and put more money in their pockets. The children HAVE to learn how to speak English because the parents won't. The government keeps on taking parents responsibilities away for disciplining them so what kind of adults do you think they will make?
- Posted By: Auntie Mae @ 11/29/2007 3:24:28 PM
  
  Comment: Aparently, you're not a teacher.
  - Posted By: ApolloKnowsAll @ 11/29/2007 7:48:22 PM
    
    Comment: US citizens 'we need to stop expecting handouts??????? We are the ones getting robbed by these invaders!! Stop stealing from US citizens!!! Free healthcare, free education, free food, housing, etc. etc. etc.
    First you break into my country and now you steal my taxdollars? Come here legally
Posted By: Auntie Mae @ 11/29/2007 3:18:07 PM

Comment: You are only choosing to portray a certain image, kshings. I, too, have lived and worked in two different foreign countries. I, as well, find most foreigners I have met to be kind, warm-hearted, and fun-loving. I also agree with you that most persons in the U.S. falsely believe that illegal=Mexican. HOWEVER, I don't think that there is ANYTHING greedy, selfish, nor cold-hearted about demanding that our leaders impose national standards for all people who want to live and work within our borders. That, my friend, is PRACTICAL and SENSIBLE. I'll tell you something else...because the majority of my college friends and co-workers are foreign nationals (I earned a Master's Degree in Spanish Literature), I have found that the overwhelming majority of persons here on student and/or work visas feel that the U.S. SHOULD be doing more to stop illegal immigration, as it hampers the process and reputation of those who wait patiently for their LEGAL paperwork to come through. As I'm sure even you can appreciate, there ARE two sides to your story.
Posted By: khsings @ 11/29/2007 3:14:52 PM

Comment: Bravo, JDark, Bravo!

I couldn't have said it better myself. In the newly released comedy "Knocked Up" there is a scene were the lead guy is telling the lead girl that he's actually Canadian and living in the US illegally. Hahaha, funny, right? The jokes continue with him saying it's great because he doesn't have to pay taxes. Hahaha, more laughs! But none of this would be funny if it were a Mexican speaking because the majority of the US believes that Illegal=Mexican which therefore = more taxed for us "hard-working" (yeah right) Americans to pay.

I lived six months in Mexico, teaching English as a foreign language and learned many imortant things. They were the kindest, more heart-felt, warm and welcoming people I've ever had the privilege to know and more often than not, I am ashamed to be an American. Our greedy, cold, selfish hearts make this country a ticking time-bomb. I sure hope I'm not around when it goes off.
Posted By: khsings @ 11/29/2007 3:06:03 PM

Comment: Bravo, JDark, Bravo!

I couldn't have said it better myself. On the newly released movie "Knocked Up", there is a scene were the lead guy tells the lead girl that he's Canadian and living here illegally. Hahaha, it's funny, right? He continues the jokes with how great it is because he doesn't have to pay taxes. Hahaha, more laughs! But it wouldn't be funny AT ALL if it were a Mexican making the same remarks simply because the majority of the US believe Illegal=Mexican which therefore = more taxes for us to pay.

I lived six months in Mexico teaching English as a foreign language and realized many important things. They are the kindest, most heartfelt, warm and welcoming people I've ever had the privilege to know and more often than not, I am ashamed to be an American. Our greedy, selfish, cold hearts only make this country a ticking time-bomb, and I hope I'm not around when it goes off.
- Posted By: ApolloKnowsAll @ 11/29/2007 7:51:04 PM
  
  Comment: French illegal? Go home. Canadian/? Go home. Peruvian illegal? Go home.
  If you have broken our laws, why should I be forced to kow tow to you? Individual people are nice, but they are still criminals. Violating international boundaries,identity theft and fraud. Serious issues.
  Think about it. What would happen to you if you used fake ID to get a job and apply for federal benefits?
Posted By: whatisthisnationdoing @ 11/29/2007 2:53:38 PM

Comment: Lets just proposed that all the illegal immigrants in the US were deported. OK! Well who would be left to do all of the jobs that are hard labor and jobs that a so called " Respectable Amercian" wouldn't be caught doing do just to earn a dollar? Who would pick the vegetables, construct fancy homes for pennies on the dollar? Anyone have an answer? Thats what I thought !!! And if I remember history , I believe that Native American Indians were the first people of this land, not the people that think that they have a GOD given right to exist in this country. Who murder,raped, and destoryed the land and way of life of the Native American Indians? Ancestors of Immigrants, the so called Americans of this country.
Posted By: JDark @ 11/29/2007 1:30:34 PM

Comment: OK, people. I've noticed a constant in all these past comments that you need to understand: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND MEXICANS ARE NOT THE SAME THING. The majority of illegal immigrants are Mexican, that's for sure, but you cannot generalize in that manner. The author of this article NEVER mentioned the word MEXICANS, he talked about illegal immmigration as a whole (South America, Central America, Mexico... and who knows what other countries from the other side of the world as well) because he is perfectly aware that it is not the same thing.
I've lived in the south of Mexico and illegal immmigrants (a really big number) from South and Central America get into Mexico illegally, and just like the US, Mexico doesn't do a good job preventing this awful situation from happening. So Mexico is not the only one to blame.
Returning to the "generalization" issue, it seems that everybody (radio and TV stations) don't even say ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS anymore, now they say MEXICANS, and I find that extremely offensive because not only is this stereotypical for a Mexican coming into this country, it is also racist since this denomination creates bad reputation and discrmination towards legal Mexicans in the US. Illegal Mexicans residing in the US are a small sample of the Mexican population, and sadly, this is all Americans know and tend to think that everybody south the border acts the same way. I hope you get the chance to visit these wonderful countries and see the difference for yourselves; and people coming LEGALLY from Mexico and other countries in the southern hemisphere into the US serve as a good example to Americans (and others) of how Latin Americans really are.
Posted By: EnvoyOfTheEnd @ 11/29/2007 11:48:36 AM

Comment: To dewcooper in answer to your points:
1) I am currently a proud college student at the University of Detroit Mercy (Go Titans!!!) ok anyways, have you ever taken a criminal justice class?? You are right, cities do constantly change the criteria by which they "measure" crime, but it is for a completely different reason: attrack people to their cities, when trying to make a city look better, they are trying to attrack people, businesses, and investors into the city, nothing more, what you claim is actually the opposite, when a city has a high criminal rate it is more likely to get federal funding to impose "contingent plans" and the such so, you've got it wrong.

2)How can you include illegal immigrants "in the mix"? What the article is talking about are the so called "street crimes" crimes that affect everybody such as murder, aggravated assault, theft, etc. , while including illegal immigrants (which I don't see hoe this would be possible, since the word criminal refers to a person commiting a felony, not an offender breaking a civic law, it is like a calling anyone who has ever received a ticket, or has failed to present an ID a criminal) would surely raise the "criminals' number" it surely would not increase the crime rate.

3)I'll give you that we don't know.

4)I'll give you that too, but these increase has been due mainly to the recent increase in "mareros" (gang members) immigrating to the US, those are not the kind of immigrants that the article is refering to, but immigrant workers instead, those gang members are certainly not welcome by anyone, not even fellow immigrants, but again maybe our government is to be blamed, at least to some extent, for these recent immigrations since in recent years it has been more concerned with foreign affairs than the internal ones, thus making of our country a fertile ground for gang activity and juvenile crime (just what we are seeing), in other words "dad is not giving their kids enough attention".

5)Just by the comment at the end, it is clear that racial issues play a big role in your reasoning, in the article it is not mentioned that these are Mexican, and never the less you just assumed it; but you are right, the graduating class is composed of legal immigrants; and to answer your question I'll give you another one: Why discriminate against Mexico, statistics clearly show that the number of visas offered to Latin America in general is way lower than those offered to Europe, so it seems like the distribution is not "fair", besides I am sure that this would not be an issue at all, if all illegal immigrants were light-skinned, blond, blue-eyed individuals, this is clearly a racial issues more than anything else.

cheers =)
- Posted By: dewcooper @ 11/29/2007 12:02:47 PM
  
  Comment: "Why discriminate against Mexico, statistics clearly show that the number of visas offered to Latin America in general is way lower than those offered to Europe, so it seems like the distribution is not "fair", besides I am sure that this would not be an issue at all, if all illegal immigrants were light-skinned, blond, blue-eyed individuals, this is clearly a racial issues more than anything else."
  
  The distribution is not fair because the Visas are offered to those who can contribute to skilled positions, and it is the Europeans who are being 'discriminated' against in that they follow the law and do not enter into the US illegally, thus missing out on the benefits heaped upon their illegal bretheren by liberal policies.
  
  And for the record, cities do recieve federal cash incentives for lowering crime rates. There was a big scandal in Dallas concerning this earlier in the year.
Posted By: anonymous_bystander @ 11/29/2007 11:28:02 AM

Comment: dewcooper needs to learn how to spell.....IMMIGRANTS.........TERRORIST ATTACKS FLEW IN FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD........dont blame all this countries problems on people who do not come here to feed off the welfare, but who know the meaning of the work WORK.
- Posted By: dewcooper @ 11/29/2007 12:37:49 PM
  
  Comment: anonymous_bystander needs to learn how to spell... WORD (not work WORK).
Posted By: osondrea @ 11/29/2007 11:15:38 AM

Comment: Lochinvar: I'm a white woman from Georgia and my grandfather currently raises chickens for slaughter and has been known to roast pigs for the neighborhood block parties. I get behind trucks every day full of chickens raised by other white Americans for slaughter.
I work in food service - it does cost 6-9% or more to cash a check, often it is a flat $10 fee for up to $150, then it goes up from there. Most check cashing places aren't run by immigrants even if they advertise in Spanish on the windows. I imagine you haven't had to use one because you have a bank account - though, have you ever been charged a fee for an ATM transaction? Same principle. RJC101 is right - I also work with a large number of immigrants in my hiring. My employees aren't on food stamps and would never apply for them. They go to urgent care centers for medical treatement and pay astronomical prices. I've gotten 200 applications (same app for everyone by the way) in the last three months and only four were from people who marked "US Citizen" on the app.

Top 15 States receiveing federal welfare monies:
1. North Dakota
2. Montana
3. West Virginia
4. Idaho
5. South Dakota
6. New Mexico
7. Mississippi
8. Utah
9. Arkansas
10. Vermont
11. Wyoming
12. Maine
13. Kentucky
14. Oklahoma
15. South Carolina

How many Mexicans cross the border to go to North Dakota? Those are white, middle class earning thoses goverment subsidies out there...
Posted By: DodgerFan @ 11/29/2007 11:07:55 AM

Comment: Absolute Tom is correct in stating that correlation does not imply causation. The low crime rates in high-immigrant cities might be caused by another independent factor. A great deal of data and analysis would be required to prove causation between high immigrant populations and low crime rates.

On the other hand, Mr. Dickey is correct that there is very little evidence to indicate causation between immigrants and high crime rates. In fact, there is very little evidence to suggest that immigrants, illegal or not, have any significant negative effects on the economy. Too much detail to get into here. See the link below.

http://www.cfr.org/content/publications/attachments/ImmigrationCSR26.pdf

I have lived in Los Angeles my entire life, and have felt no significant effect from the many illegals there. Our nation's native unskilled labor pool is not sufficient to meet demand. The economy can absorb the illegals, and we should modify the laws to reflect the economic and demographic realities of the current situation. Collect taxes from them and offer them responsibilities and opportunuties. It is my impression that anti illegal immigrant advocates use crime, economy, and terrorism as red herrings to disguise their real motive, which is xenophobic hatred and intolerance.
Posted By: dewcooper @ 11/29/2007 10:53:57 AM

Comment: The author neglects several key points:
1) Cities are constantly recatagorizing crime statistics in order to decrease their numers in order to get federal funding.
2) If you include illegal immarrents into the mix, crime statistics will go up as they are by definition of being illegal, criminals.
3) Even thought the crime statistics quoted in this piece have gone down, it was not stated how many of these crimes were being committed by illegal aliens. That number could still be on the rise even if the total numbers go down.
4) Prison statistics point to an increase in the incarciration of illegal immagrants, not a decrease.
5) The graduating class at the NYC police academy is made up of legal immagrents, not illegals.
Most people do not have a problem with LEGAL immagration (as most Americans were at some point). The problem is with those who continue to flaunt our laws by being here illegally. Most don't realize the shear numbers of applicants that are refused everyday, and the applicants stay in their own country (Canada, Europe, Asia). If we were to open the floodgates to everyone who want to come into the US, our economy would collapse under the welfare state that it would create. Why show preference to Mexico..?
Posted By: Kristin Helle @ 11/29/2007 10:20:02 AM

Comment: This is certainly interesting and thank you for reporting this interesting correlation. In response to some of the disappointing comments below, I say this: As the granddaughter of hardworking Norwegian immigrants, I feel pride in our country's history of welcoming newcomers determined to push forward through hard work and sacrifice, and I support any legislation that helps allow people to do so. It strengthens our nation as a whole and it is a pathetic, ironic twist that today's 'established' Americans would begrudge that opportunity to today's new arrivals. You're darn right my grandparents sent money back to Norway! They had mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters barely surviving off the tiny farms back home! Two generations later, I have an Doctoral degree and a full, privileged life. Immigrants come, they work, they contribute, and they leave a legacy of children and grandchildren who grow up in this society as Americans. Here in Minnesota today, you can find a Norwegian descended Lutheran with blond hair and blue eyes who still says Uff-da, but buys her tacos in the barrio, speaks fluent Spanish, and dances salsa. That's not being liberal or conservative. It's being American.
Posted By: Absolute TOm @ 11/29/2007 9:20:14 AM

Comment: Crime rates are indirectly proportional to the economy; the better the economy, the lower the crime rate. To suggest that crimes rates are futher reduced by a higher than standard percentage of immigrants is a fallacy - a false argument. If it also turns out that cities with lower crime rates have higher than standard Orange Soda consumption, would the author also concur that the consumption of Orange Soda reduces crime?? I seriously dout that - and that is the entire premise of his argument.
Posted By: eddyo @ 11/29/2007 9:09:47 AM

Comment: There are a few positive aspects about immigration but they elude me at the moment. I think that it is wonderful that immigrants sent a large proportion of their money back to mexico or wherever. America has reached its saturation point and the books should be closed but the liberals need a cause to champion and the exploitation of cheap labor has some appeal. Mexicans have a contempt for Americans that in the near future will result in riots not unlike that which other minorties have given America. CLOSE the GATES and lets solve the problems we have before taking on any more!
Posted By: Realists @ 11/29/2007 8:21:14 AM

Comment: It is quite obvious that most people here are miserable and despondent with themselves so they have to spew their poison towards anyone or group of people who are easy targets. Stop complaining about illegal immigrants taking jobs away, which do not pay much; instead, shut up and get educated! WHIners
- Posted By: dewcooper @ 11/29/2007 12:10:12 PM
  
  Comment: The jobs they take are not the problem. Why don't you check on the education and medical resources that they absorb but don't pay. As it is criminal for a hospital to refuse treatment to anyone, legal or otherwise, the US DOES have universal health coverage already. Most people just don't pay for it.
  
  Why don't you look at the amount of identity theft, illegal vehicle inspections (i.e., unsafe for operation), and lack of car insurance that costs the 'law abiding' citizens millions a year.
  
  The debate is not about $4 an hour jobs, but billions of dollars of support.
Posted By: kindablue72@hotmail.com @ 11/29/2007 5:45:29 AM

Comment: This is more liberal subterfuge attributable to the same mentality that brought us the welfare state, open borders, and a 9 trillion dollar federal debt.

Just because the "10 safest cities" in the country happen to have large immigrant populations does not mean immigrants are responsible for the trend. Apparently the author of this article isn't smart or well educated enough to understand one of the most basic theoretical tenets of statistics: Correlation does not imply causation. It's like saying that "My hat keeps snakes away because, well, you don't see any around here, do you?"

One also has to wonder what the criteria for "safe" is, according to this study, and who defined it. For example, the American cities that have the highest rates of identity theft are also those with the largest population of illegal immigrants. Furthermore there is a strong a relationship between illegal immigration and drug-related crime: Several border cities, such as Nuevo-Loredo, have been called "war zones" by their own law enforcement officials, and the Hispanic governor of New Mexico declared a "state of emergency" along the border of his state for many of the same reasons.

Another fatal flaw of this analysis is that it doesn't separate the impact of illegal versus legal immigration. I have no problem believing that legal immigrants may be more law abiding than native-born Americans; many had to spend years waiting in line and their life savings to be granted the priviledge of coming to this country; they don't want to risk deportation by getting on the wrong side of the law.

Illegal immigrants, on the other hand, have already broken the law as soon as they step foot on American soil. Strike one. By the time they do so, many are already carrying falsified U.S. government documents, such as social security cards, green cards, and driver's licenses, or they purchase them once here. Strike two. They then use these documents to illegally obtain employment, or they steal the identity/social security number of a U.S. citizen in order to do so. Strike three. They then get a car and begin driving without a license or insurance. Strike four (wait, shouldn't they already be "out?"). How big of a leap is it from there to felony drunk driving (which, de facto, isn't even a crime in Mexico) and violent offences -- particularly for people who, in terms of education and income, are right in line with the majority of native-born criminals? And if they get deported for breaking the law, it's "no big deal" because they can come right back, or keep trying until they get across.
- Posted By: JDark @ 11/29/2007 1:04:47 PM
  
  Comment: They DO take you to jail if you are drunk and driving in Mexico!
  - Posted By: rromanie @ 11/30/2007 8:10:56 AM
    
    Comment: Congratulations! Finally an intelligent, well thought-out, cogent rebuttal to the article which is full of oversights and biases. Bravo to you kindablue72 for pointing out the fallacy in the articles tenets
  - Posted By: rromanie @ 11/30/2007 8:04:06 AM
    
    Comment: Congratulations! Finally an intelligent, well thought-out, cogent rebuttal to the article which is full of oversights and biases. Bravo to you kindablue72 for pointing out the fallacy in the articles tenets
Posted By: katwiskers @ 11/29/2007 5:38:55 AM

Comment: this is so biased, chec out what us real citizens will resist
these coments are so political and unrealistic what U.S. citizens, including legal immigrants want for Country. A sovereign Nation Of True Americans, and Patriotic American U.S.A. citizens. Law abiding.
Posted By: Mountain Laurel @ 11/29/2007 3:28:44 AM

Comment: I might add--Mexicans do LESS harm to American society than many SO CALLED natural Americans who do much more to destroy Democracy by their hate.Hate is a bitter enemy to who so ever excepts it into their life..This Lonchinvar is indicative of all of the above.Are you going to have us believe that "EVERY" Mexican conduct themselves as such? "YOU" are a far greater ENEMY to America than ANY illegal alien.Hate blinds to truth and reality.
Posted By: Mountain Laurel @ 11/29/2007 3:21:45 AM

Comment: I have said many times that Mexico and Canada should have an open door policy---no border restrictions.Borders of all three countries should be open,Mexico has been our neighbor for long years and the only conflict was the Alamo and Pancho Villa.The people on this board complaining about lower level Mexicans are really STEREOTYPING all mexicans.since you do that--those that do,Are Mexicans and Blacks a threat to America or is Alqaeda along with MOST Islamist our enemies? Finally--try telling the family of the boy who's life was appranetnly saved by a mexican coming to America to support and provide for his family that Mexicans are America;s problem.They would spit in your evil--hate infested face.
Posted By: Mountain Laurel @ 11/29/2007 3:13:17 AM

Comment: despite
Posted By: alstan3 @ 11/29/2007 1:49:28 AM

Comment: This artical is a good reason not to smoke crack
Posted By: Lochinvar @ 11/28/2007 11:52:19 PM

Comment: I would like to address rjc101 in his posting. You obviously haven't been in the trenches with our illegals from Mexico. I'm there daily and have watched this wave of humanity pour into my city wherein they have shocked the senses of the citizenry by urinating in the streets, digging pits in which to roast pigs,and raising chickens for slaughter as they do in Mexico. You speak of a 6-9 % charge for cashing checks, I seriously doubt that and if so it's their own countrymen who have opened businesses to accomadate their peers. our Prisons have by far in their populace criminals from South of the Border. As far as workers filling jobs exchewed by American Citizens oh contrare, our Casinos are full of illegals filling thesae jobs as they get prefered treatment eg. An application for an American Citizen is up to 14 pages of information, for The immigrants...1 to 2 pages. You mention "sub- Asians handling information calls and of the brands of appliances and entertainment we have as being from foriegn sources, blame Corporate America and the push to make the world a New World Order. you mention the social services... an audit run by the state of Arizona showed 67 % of their social services budget is spent on the Mexicans. That's why they have passed a law effective July,2007. these services are no longer available except in a life threatening circumstance. I think your assesment is full of hyperbole and you should investigate deeper and more comprehensively. Are you aware that the second highest source of income flowing into Mexico is from this country via the workers here? the only source larger is through their oil.Perhaps you should go to Mexico and council small businesses there and help them to provide jobs for their citizenry and we could turn upwards of 35 billion dollars in our economy.
Posted By: rjc101 @ 11/28/2007 11:08:33 PM

Comment: ATTENTION AMERICA: THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO YOU THINK ARE RECEIVING FREE EDUCATION AND FREE SOCIAL SERVICES ARE ACTUALLY PAYING MORE THAN THEIR FAIR SHARE!
As somone who works with small business owners, I frequently encounter both legal and illegal immigrants. Do you realize that most illegal immigrants try to stay away from anything that has to do with the government? So they shun welfare, and food stamps and they pay higher prices for most items that regular Americans take for granted. If an illegal immigrant wants to buy a house,when they do not buy it out right with cash, they usually have to put down a larger down payment to qualify for a loan where they can get away with stated income and less paperwork. They also tend to pay their bills on time and have less foreclosures. In addition, they tend to buy at or above the stated price, so they do not have to haggle over price. In addition, they don't ever contest the property taxes, unlike most typical residents.
By the way, do you think it is easy for an illegal immigrant to cash a check? Would you pay out 6-9% of every single one of your paychecks just to get it cashed? Well that is exactly what they have to endure just to get their moeny.
Speaking of earning their money. Why don't you quit complaining about illegal immigrants taking away jobs form legal Americans and start looking at the real thiefs. When was the last time you called a customer service number and spoke to someone who did not have a sub-Asian accent? I think it's probably been about 8 years for myself. By the way, when was the last time you purchased a T.V. set that was designed and produced in the U.S.? Or how about a VCR or MP3 player?
Look around people, you are not only drinking the Kool-Aid, but you are mainlining it at an alarming rate. If you haven't realized, the news is no longer unbiased. It is completely biased! The news today is not meant to inform, it's meant to attract!
The media is run by advertisers and the more they can get people to watch, the more money they can charge for ad time.
Wake up!
Illegal immigration is a crime, however the impact is not as bad as the media is making it out to be. There are more legal citizens on welfare than illegal immigrants.
I work with small business owners who cannot find enough legal workers to fill their jobs, because people do not want to be waiters, cooks, janitors or lawn maintenance workers!
This is not the problem the media is making it our to be. Do you really beleive that a Billion Dollar fence will keep out illegal immigrants? As long as we need laborers, we will need workers willing to take on the hard work. We do not have the population to fill these needs.
Wouldn't it be more prudent to take the Billion Dollars to create opportunities to reduce the poverty we have currently in our country?
- Posted By: Mountain Laurel @ 11/29/2007 3:41:49 AM
  
  Comment: rjc:
  
  What you are dealing with here--are people that do not know what they are talking about.They rely on inaccurate Media reports--rumors--hearsay and supposition.This type of extremely negative belief is exactly what cripples Democracy.These people would have us believe that EVERY Mexican is of sub culture.This person is naive.Speaking of the Billions of Dollars we could create opportunities to reduce poverty in our country.Did Mexicans CREATE poverty in Our country? No GREEDY Rich Men "DID". This individual presented not one title of "FACT" to support what they are complaining about.It reminds me of all the Jobs that were "TAKEN" from White MEN as the result of affirmative action.You cannot find a solitary one of them that can tell their own story of how "THEIR" job was taken as the result of affirmative action.Thats damnable program did nothing but great harm to Black people."NOT" White people.
Posted By: HARLEYFB @ 11/28/2007 10:56:02 PM

Comment: THAT'S FUNNY..................75 PERCENT OF THE CRIME IN MY AREA IS BEING COMMITED BY MEXICAN ILLEGALS............REMEMBER THEY ARE ILLEGALS FIRST...THEN YOU CAN FOLLOW IT WITH THE WORD IMMIGRANTS. IF MR. DICKEY DOESN'T BELIEVE ME, TELL HIM TO CHECK OUR PRISONS NOW...THEY ARE FULL OF SAFE, KIND, LAW ABIDING ILLEGALS
Posted By: grimvega @ 11/28/2007 10:26:10 PM

Comment: Good article!
- Posted By: HARLEYFB @ 11/28/2007 10:59:21 PM
  
  Comment: YOU MUST BE AN ILLEGAL! .................
Posted By: LostAngels @ 11/28/2007 6:39:07 PM

Comment: Just another shill cheerleader promoting the "benefits" of illegal immigration, though he cowardly hides behind "immigration" instead of calling it like it is. Hey Chris, if you believe in everything you said above then volunteer 50% of your paycheck from Newsweek to support all the social program us tax paying citizens currently pay for, including, free education, health care, infratructure, etc. What a disgrace.
- Posted By: katwiskers @ 11/29/2007 5:43:53 AM
  
  Comment: california has already been trashed. My only hope is when it is all over, the santa anna whinds and fire will exterminate that dried up God forsaken area, and those heathens can have it, without water or air.
Posted By: drsyko1 @ 11/28/2007 5:58:16 PM

Comment: Wow, this is one of the most ridiculous articles I've read in a while. Any reporter worth her or his salt should know that that correlation can NEVER be assumed to be the same thing as causation. You do not present any facts at all to bolster the idea that because some of the cities that are considered to be low crime also have high immigrant populations proves that it's the immigrants that make those cities safer. Did it occur to you to consider things like law enforcement, median income, number of gangs and other factors that have been proven to impact crime? I am very disappointed. I expect a lot more than this kind of shoddy, biased reporting from Newsweek.
Posted By: vc_victorcharlie @ 11/28/2007 5:58:01 PM

Comment: This article is deceptively misleading. While it's true that crime has fallen in some large cities, the reason for that is the displacement of the even higher crime native black population. Immigrants themselves commit crimes at a higher rate than the native population but problems multiply in the 2nd and 3rd generations in which Hispanic crime is fully 3 times higher than the native rate.

Top Story

Latest News

Urban Legends

Discuss

Posted By: t9900 @ 11/30/2007 7:09:17 PM

Posted By: oldgrouch @ 11/30/2007 11:31:24 AM

Posted By: oldgrouch @ 11/30/2007 10:41:11 AM

Posted By: rromanie @ 11/30/2007 8:12:11 AM

Posted By: Frankie Denise @ 11/30/2007 1:24:21 AM

Posted By: eddchan @ 11/29/2007 11:03:57 PM

Posted By: eddchan @ 11/29/2007 11:00:33 PM

Posted By: eddchan @ 11/29/2007 10:57:09 PM

Posted By: ApolloKnowsAll @ 11/29/2007 7:40:59 PM

Posted By: spwoods @ 11/29/2007 6:10:41 PM

Posted By: ApolloKnowsAll @ 11/29/2007 7:52:06 PM

Posted By: Slackidasical @ 11/29/2007 5:11:17 PM

Posted By: free067 @ 11/29/2007 9:17:35 PM

Posted By: dolamite@shentel.net @ 11/29/2007 4:20:06 PM

Posted By: rlapaugh @ 11/29/2007 3:30:15 PM

Posted By: rlapaugh @ 11/29/2007 3:28:16 PM

Posted By: lgcgmfpllgg @ 11/29/2007 3:20:11 PM

Posted By: ApolloKnowsAll @ 11/29/2007 7:46:26 PM

Posted By: free067 @ 11/29/2007 9:09:35 PM

Posted By: Auntie Mae @ 11/29/2007 3:24:28 PM

Posted By: ApolloKnowsAll @ 11/29/2007 7:48:22 PM

Posted By: Auntie Mae @ 11/29/2007 3:18:07 PM

Posted By: khsings @ 11/29/2007 3:14:52 PM

Posted By: khsings @ 11/29/2007 3:06:03 PM

Posted By: ApolloKnowsAll @ 11/29/2007 7:51:04 PM

Posted By: whatisthisnationdoing @ 11/29/2007 2:53:38 PM

Posted By: JDark @ 11/29/2007 1:30:34 PM

Posted By: EnvoyOfTheEnd @ 11/29/2007 11:48:36 AM

Posted By: dewcooper @ 11/29/2007 12:02:47 PM

Posted By: anonymous_bystander @ 11/29/2007 11:28:02 AM

Posted By: dewcooper @ 11/29/2007 12:37:49 PM

Posted By: osondrea @ 11/29/2007 11:15:38 AM

Posted By: DodgerFan @ 11/29/2007 11:07:55 AM

Posted By: dewcooper @ 11/29/2007 10:53:57 AM

Posted By: Kristin Helle @ 11/29/2007 10:20:02 AM

Posted By: Absolute TOm @ 11/29/2007 9:20:14 AM

Posted By: eddyo @ 11/29/2007 9:09:47 AM

Posted By: Realists @ 11/29/2007 8:21:14 AM

Posted By: dewcooper @ 11/29/2007 12:10:12 PM

Posted By: kindablue72@hotmail.com @ 11/29/2007 5:45:29 AM

Posted By: JDark @ 11/29/2007 1:04:47 PM

Posted By: rromanie @ 11/30/2007 8:10:56 AM

Posted By: rromanie @ 11/30/2007 8:04:06 AM

Posted By: katwiskers @ 11/29/2007 5:38:55 AM

Posted By: Mountain Laurel @ 11/29/2007 3:28:44 AM

Posted By: Mountain Laurel @ 11/29/2007 3:21:45 AM

Posted By: Mountain Laurel @ 11/29/2007 3:13:17 AM

Posted By: alstan3 @ 11/29/2007 1:49:28 AM

Posted By: Lochinvar @ 11/28/2007 11:52:19 PM

Posted By: rjc101 @ 11/28/2007 11:08:33 PM

Posted By: Mountain Laurel @ 11/29/2007 3:41:49 AM

Posted By: HARLEYFB @ 11/28/2007 10:56:02 PM

Posted By: grimvega @ 11/28/2007 10:26:10 PM

Posted By: HARLEYFB @ 11/28/2007 10:59:21 PM

Posted By: LostAngels @ 11/28/2007 6:39:07 PM

Posted By: katwiskers @ 11/29/2007 5:43:53 AM

Posted By: drsyko1 @ 11/28/2007 5:58:16 PM

Posted By: vc_victorcharlie @ 11/28/2007 5:58:01 PM

Reply

Report Abuse

STRATEGIES

The Paper Chasers

NATIONAL SECURITY

The General's Marching Orders

Subscribe Now

Partners