incapacitation and deterrence. How does the U.S. compare to other countries in regards to

USC

Seven Facts on Immigration that Every American Should Know

By Jody Agius Vallejo, Associate Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at USC, and CSII Associate Director; and Carolyn Choi, PhD Candidate, USC Sociology - January 30, 2017

TOPICS: facts ,  immigrant integration ,  immigration ,  research

1: The era of undocumented Mexican migration is over.

Undocumented immigration from Mexico is at near historic lows, according to U.S. Border Patrol data.  In fact, more Mexicans are leaving the U.S. than are arriving, and net migration from Mexico has fallen to  zero .

Undocumented migration from Mexico decreased because of a confluence of factors on both sides of the border, including a  decline in jobs  in the U.S., coupled with Mexico’s demographic transition. While the share of undocumented immigrants from Mexico has declined, the share of  immigrants  from Asia, Central America, and sub-Saharan Africa has increased.

 

 

2. Border walls can have unintended effects, such as caging people in rather than keeping people out.

Doug Massey, a sociologist at Princeton University and expert in undocumented migration and border enforcement, and his colleagues, argue that U.S. “border enforcement has  backfired  as a strategy of immigration control.” Historically, undocumented Mexican workers engaged in a pattern of circular migration between the U.S. and Mexico. A large body of research shows that increased border enforcement has made it more costly and dangerous to cross, leading to longer stays, the dispersal of undocumented migrants into all fifty states, and  family settlement  in the U.S.

Just over eleven million undocumented immigrants reside in the United States. Between 2009 and 2013, about 4 million undocumented people lived with children under the age of 18. According to the Migration Policy Institute,  84% of these 4 million undocumented immigrants  lived with at least one U.S. citizen child, demonstrating that many undocumented people are strongly linked to American citizens.

 

3. The majority of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. are long settled and integrated into communities.

According to the Pew Hispanic Center, 66% of unauthorized adults in the U.S. in 2014 have been living in the country for  at least a decade . Only 14% of unauthorized immigrants had been in the country five years or less.

More than half of California’s undocumented immigrants have lived in the U.S. ten years or longer. As Manuel Pastor and Enrico Marcelli demonstrate, these long-settled unauthorized immigrants comprise a variety of people including parents, children, teenagers, workers, homeowners, and business owners. They are integrated into our communities, the labor-market market, schools, and civil  society .

 

 

4: Rescinding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)—or allowing it to expire—will have devastating impacts on families, weaken communities, and drain hundreds of billions of dollars from our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

DACA has provided temporary relief from deportation and work authorization for more than 700,000 young people brought to the U.S. as children. DACA recipients have translated their status into positive economic, social, civic, and educational  outcomes  that ultimately benefit families, communities, and the nation. The Center for American Progress estimates that  ending DACA would eliminate $433.4 billion dollars in GDP  over a decade. 

 

5: The majority of Americans do not support a border wall but they do support immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship.  

According to a recent survey conducted by Pew Research Center, only 39% of people view building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border as ‘somewhat important’ or ‘very important.’ In contrast, a majority of Americans (62%)  support immigration reform  with a pathway to citizenship for America’s long-settled undocumented population.  

 

6: Immigration, even if undocumented, is associated with lower crime rates in communities and cities, and immigrants are less likely to commit crimes compared to the native-born. Harvard sociologist Robert Sampson’s study of police records and census data found that  cities of concentrated immigration  are some of the safest cities in the United States. Recent research also demonstrates that “crime is statistically significantly lower in  sanctuary counties  compared to nonsanctuary counties.” These larger patterns are reflected in incarceration rates, as  immigrants , including Mexican immigrants, are less likely to commit crimes and be incarcerated than the native-born.

 

7: The majority of Americans are against banning Syrian refugees and Muslims from entering the country.

A 2016 PRRI/Brookings Survey Report examining the public’s attitudes towards terrorism found that 58% of Americans oppose banning Muslims from entering the U.S. and 55% oppose banning Syrian refugees.

 

In all, data and research provide critical insights for current debates. First, building another wall along our southern border is at odds with the reality of decreasing undocumented migration from Mexico. Second, the majority of Americans support comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Third, rescinding DACA—or letting it expire—will devastate families, weaken our communities, and have significant negative impacts on our economy. Fourth, a large body of research demonstrates an inverse relationship between immigration and crime.  And finally, the majority of Americans see the country as one that is inclusive rather than exclusive and insular. These are facts worth remembering.