Uncovering the Truth: Why We Need Better Crime Data on Immigrants

The Current Problem

• Lack of Information: We don't know enough about the immigration status of people who commit crimes in the U.S.
• Incomplete Picture: This makes it hard to understand the full scope of crime involving immigrants.

Senator Jim Banks' Proposal

• Key Figures: FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ)
• Action: Push for local and state police to collect more detailed information.
• Specifics:
• Immigration status
• National origin
• Ethnicity

Current System: NIBRS

• Ethnicity: Optional detail
• Missing Information:
• Immigration status
• National origin

Banks' Argument

• Local Level Crimes: Most crimes happen at the local level.
• Informed Decisions: Without tracking this data, we can't make informed decisions about immigration policy.

Existing Data Collection

• DOJ Data: Collects some data about non-citizens in state prisons.
• Limitations:
• Doesn't distinguish between legal immigrants and those in the country illegally.
• Often leaves out people in local jails (about a third of the inmate population).

Importance of the Issue

• Studies: Non-citizens are overrepresented in certain types of crimes.
• Example: A 2018 study found that non-citizens made up 21% of those convicted of non-immigration crimes between 2011 and 2016.
• Comparison: 2.5 times their share of the population.
• Higher Percentage: Convictions in crimes like kidnapping, drug offenses, and money laundering.

Alignment with Executive Order

• 2017 Executive Order by President Trump: Directed the DOJ and other federal agencies to improve crime data collection and sharing across different jurisdictions.

Conclusion

• Better Data: Can help us understand the true impact of immigrant crime.
• Effective Policies: Crucial for setting effective immigration policies.