“Crime rates, offending rates and incarceration rates tend to be lower amongst foreign-born individuals.” That’s what research co-authored by Michael Light concludes. Michael’s research on crime and immigration has been featured in the news lately as November’s presidential election nears.
Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) interviewed Michael for University of the Air, where they discussed racial disparities in incarceration rates and the myth that undocumented immigrants commit more violent crimes than citizens.
WPR’s Wisconsin Today also interviewed Michael about some misconceptions about immigration and crime that come up in politics. Violent crime, felonies, and drug overdose data are “just really not related” to immigration rates and policies.
The Washington Post article “Family of Rachel Morin faces grief as suspect in killing faces judge” focuses on one case where a young woman was killed by a man who had crossed into the United States unlawfully. Michael poses, “This view that the person’s undocumented status is an aggravating factor is also likely a reason why these crimes generate such strong responses.”