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One of the most popular sociopolitical discussions happening right now surrounds immigrants in America, more specifically, undocumented immigrants.
When engaging in that discourse, it can be hard to differentiate facts from propaganda. Here, we’re going to quickly debunk some of the most common falsehoods surrounding immigrants and what their presence in America means.
“Just apply for citizenship, it’s easy.”
Applying for citizenship may not be as accessible, timely, or easy as it sounds. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says that the average time it takes immigrants to go through “naturalization” is seven and a half years. This is incredibly inconvenient for most people who have immigrated to the U.S., especially during times like these, when political tension surrounding immigration has increased.
This process of naturalization requires an English and civics test consisting of 128 questions of U.S. trivia that most native born citizens would never be able to answer. We see questions like, “Why did the United States enter the Persian Gulf War?” and naming the reasons why Dwight Eisenhower is famous. This kind of exam requires an immense amount of studying, which can be entirely unrealistic to accomplish when working to make ends meet — this becomes especially unrealistic and difficult when providing for a family as well.
The journey to citizenship is also extremely expensive. The total cost of a citizenship application is $710 to $760. There are options for a reduced fee of $380, but only with proof that your “annual household income is less than 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.” Our current economy, even if exempt from a full fee, does not allow for big purchases like this.
“Immigrants account for most of the crime in the U.S.”
47% of Americans believe that the increase in immigrants in the U.S. brings upon more crime.
In reality, immigrants, regardless of legal status in the U.S., are less likely to commit crimes than native born American citizens. The American Economic Association analyzes the incarceration rates of men between the ages of 18 and 40. In the late 2010s, native born men experienced incarceration rates around 3,000 per 100,000, while immigrant rates stayed below 1,500 per 100,000.”
One can also argue that because being without documentation is a crime, all undocumented immigrants are technically criminals. But let’s take a quick trip down memory lane, back to our 8th-grade social studies classes: there is a huge difference between a civil offense and a criminal offense.
Criminal cases involve infractions, like felonies and misdemeanors, that violate public law. This could include burglary, murder, or driving while under the influence. Civil cases involve actions such as the resolution of disputes or compensation for victims. This could include traffic violations, breaching a contract, or, yes, even unlawful residency in the U.S.
A large number of Americans equate the act of being undocumented with high criminal offenses. This seems outlandish after learning that it could just as easily, and more realistically, be equated to a simple traffic infraction.
“Immigrants don’t pay taxes.”
According to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, undocumented immigrant workers are required to pay income tax when working for employers. For undocumented immigrants who provide personal services for income, they are subject to a 30% federal tax withholding — this means that 30% of what they make is deducted from their paycheck. Just in 2023, immigrants contributed $651.9 billion in taxes.
With this being understood, we can see that undocumented immigrants are a prime example of taxation without representation. We can argue that to get that representation, undocumented immigrants can just apply for citizenship — but as we’ve discussed, that path is not always accessible.
“Immigrants take all of the American jobs.”
The American Immigration Council says that, according to data from 2023, immigrants make up 14.3% of the U.S. population and 17.7% of the American workforce.
We often hear that immigrants are important to the U.S. economy because they “take the jobs that nobody else wants.” Although this may be true, immigrants also contribute heavily to our economy through healthcare, research, and entrepreneurship, while still leaving more than enough work for native born citizens. In fact, 2023 data shows that 23.6% of entrepreneurs in America were immigrants, who employed millions of Americans.
So?
Debunking this kind of rhetoric is the first step in dismantling outdated systems. Around 85% of U.S. adults are in support of a pathway to citizenship. This may demonstrate that the true, solvable issue surrounding immigration revolves around that path.
By making this process more accessible while still prioritizing proper checks and balances, much of this sociopolitical discourse could dissolve. As long as your issue is actually with immigration and not making America a white ethnostate, there should really be no problem.