Debunking the Myth of Immigrants and Crime
The scapegoating of ethnic and religious minorities is well-tread historical ground in the United States, and immigrants have always made for an easy target. Chinese, Irish, Italian, Muslim, Mexican—all these people and more have been falsely accused of bringing crime into the United States, particularly during times of economic or political unease. Today, some politicians are peddling the same, tired myth, this time of a "migrant crime surge" among immigrants who recently arrived in the country.
However, a robust body of research shows that welcoming immigrants into American communities not only does not increase crime, but can actually strengthen public safety. In fact, immigrants—including undocumented immigrants—are less likely to commit crimes than the U.S.-born. This is true at the national, state, county, and neighborhood levels, and for both violent and non-violent crime.
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STAY SAFE, STAY PEACEFUL, AND STAY ENGAGED
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STAY SAFE, STAY PEACEFUL, AND STAY ENGAGED *
January 27, 2016
by G. D. Pappas
To better grasp today's political climate, particularly considering the ICE raids stretching from LA to St. Paul, it is critical to understand that citizens, community groups, and civic groups are operating under norms that undergird the rule of law. On the other hand, the Trump administration is conducting business in a parallel universe constructed on arbitrary power and violence which combines the color of law with brutal lawlessness.
According to Ernest Fraenkel's The Dual State (1941), we are now experiencing the conditions he described in his work. Fraenkel provided an insider analysis of Nazi Germany. Unlike Nazi Germany, however, where the dual state was set up to expel and exterminate the minority Jews, today most Americans (not a minority) unlike Germany in 1930's, are resisting Trump's attempt to overtake our institutions and laws. In other words, speaking out, connecting with community groups, and yes, hitting the streets is pure kryptonite to Trump and his sycophants.
From President Trump, Assistant Chief of Staff Steven Miller, FBI Director Kash Patel, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, to the entire cabinet, they are gaslighting not only the facts but camouflaging their actions under the color of law. They have given ICE and CBP complete political and legal immunity from accountability. This is a critical edifice of arbitrary power, a critical edifice of a fascist state.
When you see people exercising their constitutional right to observe police actions being pepper sprayed, when you see people dragged from their homes without a valid search warrant in subfreezing weather with nothing but a bed sheet for protection, when you see people murdered in their cars while nonviolently observing ICE operations, when you see a peaceful observer executed in broad daylight for helping a neighbor who got pepper sprayed by ICE, you are witnessing the arbitrary universe in action.
Continued nonviolent constitutionally protected actions must be adhered to. Trump is seeking to entice violence against ICE and CBP operations. Violence against ICE/CBP is the prayed for pretext Trump and his sycophants are baiting the American public to engage in. Once violence replaces nonviolence it is but a short step to the Insurrection Act and the suspensions of the 2026 midterm elections.
Stay safe, stay peaceful, stay connected, and stay engaged.
Who Is A Real American?
No One Is Safe
Our civil liberties are under attack. Listen to my discussion with Lorena Betts of the Peacemakers Network in Chelmsford, MA.
Podcast Interview with Attorney AK Poko, Esq.
In this extensive one hour podcast with Attorney AK Poko, I provide the inside perspective as a former U.S. Immigration Judge to help immigrants understand how to prepare their case before going to court. (Viewers are advised to move the play button forward to bypass the technical start up to the podcast discussion)
North Carolina Facts
Did you know that…
9.3% Immigrant share of population
1,003,467 Immigrant residents
$11.4B Immigrant taxes paid
Attorney Pappas (former Immigration Judge) Speaks Out on The Assault on Due Process on WFAE Radio Charlotte Talks
November 11, 2025
Myth: Undocumented Immigration Drain Public Benefits Like Social Security
Fact: Undocumented immigrant subsidize Social Security
The Trump administration falsely claims that immigrants drain public benefits like Social Security. But immigrants offset the demographic factors that are straining the Social Security Trust Fund, with undocumented immigrants paying $26.2 billion into Social Security in 2023.
Myth: Immigrants Take Away Jobs
Fact: Immigrants Create Jobs!
Many immigrants bring an entrepreneurial spirit and a wealth of skills that lead to job creation, not job losses. According to research from the National Foundation for American Policy, immigrants in the U.S. are almost twice as likely to start a business compared to native-born citizens. These immigrant-owned businesses, both large and small, provide millions of jobs. Companies like Google, Tesla, and eBay were founded by immigrants or their children, showing the profound impact that immigrants can have on the American economy.