Be afraid. Be very afraid. That’s the take-away from the Republican National Convention last week. And what should we be afraid of? Many things, but probably most of all -- immigrants.
Among the convention speakers were family members of people murdered by those here illegally. The message was all too loud and clear: when you see an immigrant, run for your life. It's impossible to not sympathize with these families who have lost loved ones and, yet, the message that came out of the convention was nothing short of bogus.
People without papers are more murderous than other people: If you believe this, then you’re buying into one of the many myths about the undocumented and immigrants in general. Here are my top five myths in that regard, each one perpetuated by presidential nominee Donald Trump and many of his supporters.
Myth 1: Immigrants are terrorists.
The overwhelming majority of terrorist attacks (80 percent) are committed by our very own American citizens. The other 20 percent is a mixture of foreigners -- some immigrants, some not.
Again and again, researchers have searched for links between immigration and terrorism, but links are never found. In fact, there’s much evidence to suggest that immigration actually reduces terrorism. Generous immigration policies promote tolerance, good will and greater stability through the pivotal sharing of knowledge and skills.
Myth 2: Immigrants don’t pay taxes, but receive benefits.
Illegal immigrants do pay taxes. And, even though they pay in, they’re not eligible to receive social welfare benefits. Not even legal immigrants (who, of course, also pay taxes), are eligible for benefits for five or more years.
Take, for example, the federal earned income tax credit. It provides refundable tax credits to the working poor, providing them with extra cash at tax time and helping them get by on low wages. Immigrants can’t claim the credit unless they have a Social Security number and are work-authorized (even though they pay in).
Myth 3: Immigrants are criminals.
The crime rate among immigrants -- both legal and illegal -- is no higher than among native-born Americans; in many regions, immigrant crime rate is even lower. After traveling thousands of miles, sometimes risking your life to gain entry into the United States, why would you blow it by committing a crime?
Credible research institutions such as the Cato Institute, Pew Research, Census Bureau and others all generally reach the same conclusion: immigrants are either less crime-prone than others and in any event do not affect crime rates at all.
Myth 4: Illegal Immigrants are pouring into America more than ever before.
True, there are greater numbers of illegal immigrants living in the United States than ever before. But their share of the population is no bigger than in the past. The percentage of illegal immigrants in our country, 3.5 percent, has not changed much over history -- in fact, it has actually shrunk a little.
Myth 5: It is easy to immigrate legally to America.
It’s not easy to immigrate to the United States. In fact, it’s extremely hard to gain citizenship in this country. Contrary to popular belief, not even marriage to a US citizen can win you full citizenship. It just gives you legal residence without the full benefits of citizenship (voting, health care, Social Security, etc.).
The path to citizenship is long, complicated, and practically impossible without the help of a specialized (and very expensive) immigration lawyer.
So, instead of worrying about foreigners invading the United States, maybe we should take some time to enjoy the richness they add to our culture through food, arts, clothing, and other cultural contribution. Maybe we should stop the myth-making.
