U.S. study finds no link between undocumented immigrants and crime

A study conducted across 11,500 neighborhoods in the United States has found that higher concentrations of undocumented immigrants are not associated with an overall increase in crime. Published in the Journal of Urban Affairs, the research utilized data from the U.S. Census and the National Incident-Based Reporting System to examine property crimes and violent crimes.

The researchers noted that previous studies often failed to differentiate between various legal statuses of immigrants. This distinction is considered vital because legal status affects access to formal employment, social support programs, and integration pathways. According to 2023 estimates, while 46% of immigrants in the U.S. were naturalized citizens, 23% were legal permanent residents, 4% were legal temporary residents, and 27% were undocumented.

Charis Kubrin, a criminologist at the University of California, Irvine, and co-author of the study, stated that this research is the first to analyze these figures across diverse neighborhoods using a national sample, noting that neighborhoods are critical spaces where public perceptions are formed.