Both sides in Arizona's immigration debate use crime argument

[pinboy3niner]

Both sides in Arizona's immigration debate use crime argument

Statistics show foreign-born residents commit fewer crimes, but backers of an illegal immigrant law say public safety is their key motivation.

By Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times
4:49 PM PDT, May 3, 2010
Reporting from Phoenix

By many measures, Arizona has become safer since illegal immigrants began pouring into the state in the 1990s.

Crime has dropped all across the country since then, but the decrease has been as fast or faster in Arizona. The rate of property crimes in the state, for example, has plummeted 43% since 1995, compared with 30% nationwide.

That's no surprise to those who study immigration — both sides, whether for or against increased immigration, agree that immigrants tend to commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans.

Nonetheless, authors of a controversial new law against illegal immigration here have long cited the need to fight crime as a key reason behind SB 1070, or the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act. The law makes it a state crime to lack immigration papers and requires police to determine whether people they stop are in the country illegally.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-arizona-crime-20100503,0,5543081.story


Note: in some print editions, this story appeared under the headline, “Playing the crime card in
Arizona.”


A related story appeared in the Arizona Republic:

Violence is not up on Arizona border
Mexico crime flares, but here, only flickers

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2010/05/02/20100502arizona-border-violence-mexico.html

[pampango]

1. Using facts to dispel fear goes counter to the fear-mongers' "secure the border first" or

"we will all die" political tactic. Good luck with your "facts over fear" campaign. I'm not optimistic however. ;)

[frylock]

2. knr