Three lies politicians say about immigrants

Debunking harmful myths →

Pamela,   As critical elections approach, voters are being bombarded with harmful myths, misrepresentations, and outright lies about people who are immigrants.   What is missing from this rhetoric is simple: the truth.    The United States has failed to align its immigration laws and practices with 21st Century realities, leaving a system that is cruel, dysfunctional, and widely criticized.    Pamela, false information distracts from the solutions that we know work. Here are three truths voters need to know about the U.S. immigration system. It is perfectly legal to request asylum.   People who come to the United States border to ask for help are not breaking the law. Under both U.S. and international law, people who face danger in their homelands have the right to have their requests for asylum considered.  Undocumented people have far lower crime rates than U.S. citizens. Political candidates often falsely link undocumented people to crime in the United States. Yet an extensive study of crimes in all 50 states and Washington, DC, from 1990 to 2014, found that undocumented immigration does not increase violent crime.   Many people who have the legal right to remain in the U.S. are deported anyway.  Unlike in criminal court, people facing deportation in immigration court are not entitled to an attorney if they cannot afford one. This makes it much more likely that they will be deported, even if they could have established a legal right to stay. The United States has much work ahead to reform its dysfunctional and often cruel immigration system.   With the support of this community, Vera is calling on our leaders to rebuild the U.S. immigration system with policies that treat each person with dignity and fairness, no matter where they were born or how much money they have.   Thank you for reading,  Vera Institute of Justice © 2024 Vera Institute of Justice. All Rights Reserved.   Vera Institute of Justice 34 35th Street | Suite 4-2A | Brooklyn, NY 11232 (212) 334-1300   Privacy Statement | unsubscribe