One in five US prison inmates is a 'criminal alien' and other stats about illegal immigrants

[Anonymous]

A border wall would save a lot of money not to mention getting criminals off the street.

New, little-reported statistics seem to prove two competing points in the illegal immigration debate.



First, it's true that most illegal immigrants are not imprisoned for committing additional crimes (beyond coming here illegally) in the United States. One might fairly deduce that most are otherwise law-abiding. But "criminal aliens" — those who engage in other criminal acts — do make up a disproportionate number of inmates in our prisons and jails. Seeing the numbers, one might fairly deduce that they commit serious crimes at a significantly higher rate than those in the U.S. legally.



Here's how the latest numbers break down.



The U.S. population is around 328 million. It's estimated that about 11 million — or one in 30 — are illegal immigrants. Yet criminal aliens account for more than one in five federal prison inmates. Even assuming a pretty radical margin of error for the sake of argument, that would still mean illegal immigrants are drastically over-represented among the criminal population.



And the actual picture may be worse, since the government says it has no way to be notified of all imprisoned illegal immigrants. So, instead, it counts a subset of them that it learns about through identifiers such as an FBI number.



The latest information is included in a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The summary by the leader of GAO's Homeland Security and Justice team, Gretta Goodwin, seems oddly written to try to put a positive spin on the grim findings. It highlights this figure: From 2011 through 2016, the criminal alien proportion of the total estimated federal inmate population generally decreased, from about 25 percent to 21 percent.



Stop there and you might think we're on a good path. But dig into the actual report and footnotes — and it's difficult to sugarcoat the findings.



For starters, 91 percent of federal criminal aliens were citizens of Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Colombia or Guatemala.



There were more than 730,000 criminal aliens in U.S. or state prisons and local jails during the period measured. They accounted for 4.9 million arrests for 7.5 million offenses. (The numbers, according to the GAO: 197,000 criminal aliens in federal prisons, arrested 1.4 million times for 2 million offenses, between 2011 and 2016; 533,000 in state or local facilities between 2010 and 2015, representing 3.5 million arrests for 5.5 million offenses.)



The arrests include allegations of more than 1 million drug crimes, a half-million assaults, 133,800 sex offenses and 24,200 kidnappings. Even more serious, the imprisoned illegal immigrants, over a five-year period, had been arrested for 33,300  homicide-related offenses and 1,500 terrorism-related crimes.



In terms of cost, federal taxpayers shelled out more than $15 billion during the period studied — or $2.5 billion a year — to keep criminal aliens behind bars in federal, state and local facilities.



Many are repeat offenders. Of about 146,500 criminal aliens who finished a federal prison term, about one in six — around 24,800 — already had been imprisoned again at least once.



Why hasn't this made headlines? It could be the way the GAO presented the results as a positive improvement. It took me some time to sort through and analyze what was really being reported. In addition, though they squabble publicly, some among both major political parties have a vested interest in keeping the status quo. Even when a single party has held both houses of Congress and the presidency, they haven't really changed much to address illegal immigration one way or another.



If politicians ever truly get serious about reforming our immigration system — whether it's offering legal status to illegal immigrants and allowing more to come into the United States, or tightening the borders and enforcing existing laws to deport those who technically aren't allowed — it would seem either process should start with an honest look at the stats.

https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/407312-one-in-five-us-prison-inmates-is-a-criminal-alien">https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration ... inal-alien">https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/407312-one-in-five-us-prison-inmates-is-a-criminal-alien

[Odinson]

The only reason why these democrats defend the illegals is that they bring in more votes..





Allowing them to enter the US goes up against all the left-wing values... Seen as how they are used as cheap labour.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

[Bricktop]

The US let a LOT of Mexicans through so they could buy cheap labour and make more profits. The governments turned a blind eye, because those making the bucks were buying politicians to ensure the cheap labour kept coming.



Just like they did with slaves...



You reap what you sow.

[JOE]

The US let a LOT of Mexicans through so they could buy cheap labour and make more profits. The governments turned a blind eye, because those making the bucks were buying politicians to ensure the cheap labour kept coming.



Just like they did with slaves...



You reap what you sow.

Actually BT, what the OP oughta ask himself is why so many US citizens are locked away in US prisons.



If 20% are illegals, then the other 80% must be US citizens



No other nation as a % of their population comes close to the USA in that regard.



There are nearly 1/2 million whites in US prisons



English speaking countries like Australia  and Canada have nowhere near the numbers or % as the USA.



THe USA has so many women in prison that their absolute numbers are greater than Russia, India and China COMBINED.



And America puts so many people in prison that they have prisons labor which competes alongside the civilian population



I mean Holy Schmokes! The USA, which is the world's Jailer, has become a PRISON NATION!



Well, at least they're number #1 in somethin'!

[Gaon]

This thread is about the burden illegal immigration puts on America not incarceration rates in America.

[Anonymous]

A border wall would save a lot of money not to mention getting criminals off the street.

New, little-reported statistics seem to prove two competing points in the illegal immigration debate.



First, it's true that most illegal immigrants are not imprisoned for committing additional crimes (beyond coming here illegally) in the United States. One might fairly deduce that most are otherwise law-abiding. But "criminal aliens" — those who engage in other criminal acts — do make up a disproportionate number of inmates in our prisons and jails. Seeing the numbers, one might fairly deduce that they commit serious crimes at a significantly higher rate than those in the U.S. legally.



Here's how the latest numbers break down.



The U.S. population is around 328 million. It's estimated that about 11 million — or one in 30 — are illegal immigrants. Yet criminal aliens account for more than one in five federal prison inmates. Even assuming a pretty radical margin of error for the sake of argument, that would still mean illegal immigrants are drastically over-represented among the criminal population.



And the actual picture may be worse, since the government says it has no way to be notified of all imprisoned illegal immigrants. So, instead, it counts a subset of them that it learns about through identifiers such as an FBI number.



The latest information is included in a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The summary by the leader of GAO's Homeland Security and Justice team, Gretta Goodwin, seems oddly written to try to put a positive spin on the grim findings. It highlights this figure: From 2011 through 2016, the criminal alien proportion of the total estimated federal inmate population generally decreased, from about 25 percent to 21 percent.



Stop there and you might think we're on a good path. But dig into the actual report and footnotes — and it's difficult to sugarcoat the findings.



For starters, 91 percent of federal criminal aliens were citizens of Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Colombia or Guatemala.



There were more than 730,000 criminal aliens in U.S. or state prisons and local jails during the period measured. They accounted for 4.9 million arrests for 7.5 million offenses. (The numbers, according to the GAO: 197,000 criminal aliens in federal prisons, arrested 1.4 million times for 2 million offenses, between 2011 and 2016; 533,000 in state or local facilities between 2010 and 2015, representing 3.5 million arrests for 5.5 million offenses.)



The arrests include allegations of more than 1 million drug crimes, a half-million assaults, 133,800 sex offenses and 24,200 kidnappings. Even more serious, the imprisoned illegal immigrants, over a five-year period, had been arrested for 33,300  homicide-related offenses and 1,500 terrorism-related crimes.



In terms of cost, federal taxpayers shelled out more than $15 billion during the period studied — or $2.5 billion a year — to keep criminal aliens behind bars in federal, state and local facilities.



Many are repeat offenders. Of about 146,500 criminal aliens who finished a federal prison term, about one in six — around 24,800 — already had been imprisoned again at least once.



Why hasn't this made headlines? It could be the way the GAO presented the results as a positive improvement. It took me some time to sort through and analyze what was really being reported. In addition, though they squabble publicly, some among both major political parties have a vested interest in keeping the status quo. Even when a single party has held both houses of Congress and the presidency, they haven't really changed much to address illegal immigration one way or another.



If politicians ever truly get serious about reforming our immigration system — whether it's offering legal status to illegal immigrants and allowing more to come into the United States, or tightening the borders and enforcing existing laws to deport those who technically aren't allowed — it would seem either process should start with an honest look at the stats.

https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/407312-one-in-five-us-prison-inmates-is-a-criminal-alien">https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration ... inal-alien">https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/407312-one-in-five-us-prison-inmates-is-a-criminal-alien

I am not convinced any physical barrier would stop or even slow down the flow of illegal migrants.

[Bricktop]

It stopped East Germans flocking to the West.



It keeps Palestinians out of Israel.



It cannot stop ALL illegal entry...but it will hold back the flood from the south.

[Anonymous]

It stopped East Germans flocking to the West.



It keeps Palestinians out of Israel.



It cannot stop ALL illegal entry...but it will hold back the flood from the south.

World of walls: How 65 countries have erected fences on their borders – four times as many as when the Berlin Wall was toppled – as governments try to hold back the tide of migrants

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3205724/How-65-countries-erected-security-walls-borders.html">https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... rders.html">https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3205724/How-65-countries-erected-security-walls-borders.html

[Bricktop]

Exactly.



This is white socialist inspired globalism has forced us into.

[Anonymous]

It stopped East Germans flocking to the West.



It keeps Palestinians out of Israel.



It cannot stop ALL illegal entry...but it will hold back the flood from the south.

World of walls: How 65 countries have erected fences on their borders – four times as many as when the Berlin Wall was toppled – as governments try to hold back the tide of migrants

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3205724/How-65-countries-erected-security-walls-borders.html">https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... rders.html">https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3205724/How-65-countries-erected-security-walls-borders.html

I did read about nations erecting physical barriers.

[Gaon]

A third of the world's countries have completed or are building barriers – compared to 16 at the fall of the Berlin Wall.



When the Berlin Wall was torn down a quarter-century ago, there were 16 border fences around the world.

[Bricktop]

All because basket case countries SEND their useless and irrelevant to wealthy countries.

[JOE]

Exactly.



This is white socialist inspired globalism has forced us into.

It might help if birth control/family planning programs were set up in these poor countries so that floods of them don't stream over our borders in 25 years.



Thats why they come because there are no jobs on their countries.



Fewer births now translates into fewer refugees later in the future