The truth about crime, illegal immigrants and sanctuary cities – The Hill (blog)
There has been much rhetoric from the left and the open-borders, pro-illegal immigration lobby suggesting that illegal immigrants pose no threat to the safety and security of this nation and commit less crimes than their American Citizen and legal immigrant counterparts.
If one watches the network newscasts, the ideologues and open-borders surrogates consistently accuse Americans and law enforcement experts who suggest otherwise of being racist and anti-immigration xenophobes. If you pay attention to the rhetoric, you will find one blaring item missing facts.
I am a former Spanish speaking career detective who investigated violent crimes within the Hispanic and other ethnic immigrant communities.
I am also a forensic criminologist who is a subject matter expert in violent crime who advocates for facts and evidence. Here are some verified crime facts and statistics with you so that you will know the truth about the precarious relationship between violent crime and illegal immigrants.
Previous administrations have deliberately kept Americans in the dark about illegal immigrant crimes
Most states and our federal government have kept information and statistics about illegal immigration, crimes committed by illegals and the costs borne by you the U.S. payer out of public view. It is in fact difficult, but not impossible to locate accurate crime statistics involving illegal immigrants. The statistics are buried both to suit a political agenda and to avoid public outcry. Once you read this article, you will quickly understand why.
Demographics The Pew Research Institute estimates that as of 2014, there are at least 11.2 million illegal immigrants residing in the U.S. This population comprises approximately 3.5 percent of our countrys population.
Of these, by far the largest ethnic population, 52 percent are Hispanics comprised of Mexicans, Central Americans and Cubans.
Six states: California, Texas, Illinois, Florida, New York and New Jersey account for 59 percent of all illegal immigrants residing in the U.S. The fact that 66 percent of all illegal immigrants have lived in our nation for over ten years underscores our long-standing inability to address the serious problem of our inability to control our nations borders.
The relationship between illegal immigrants and violent crime
Research conducted by the federal government oversight organization Judicial Watch in 2014 documents that 50 percent of all federal crimes were committed near our border with Mexico.
Of the 61,529 criminal cases filed by federal prosecutors; 40 percent or 24,746 were in court districts along the southern borders of California, Arizona and Texas.
The Western District of Texas had the nations most significant crime rate with over 6,300 cases filed; followed by the Southern District of Texas with slightly over 6,000 cases.
The Southern California District with nearly 4,900 cases; New Mexico with nearly 4,000 cases and Arizona with over 3,500 criminal cases ranked 3rd, 4th and 5th.
The U.S. Department of Justice documents that in 2014, 19 percent or over 12,000 criminal cases filed by prosecutors were for violent crimes; and over 22 percent or 13,300 cases were for drug related felonies.
That same year, the U.S. Sentencing Commission found that 75 percent of all criminal defendants who were convicted and sentenced for federal drug offenses were illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants were also involved in 17 percent of all drug trafficking sentences and one third of all federal prison sentences.
The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Sentencing Commission reported that as of 2014, illegal immigrants were convicted and sentenced for over 13 percent of all crimes committed in the U.S.
According to the FBI, 67,642 murders were committed in the U.S. from 2005 through 2008, and 115,717 from 2003 through 2009. The General Accounting Office documents that criminal immigrants committed 25,064 of these murders.
To extrapolate out these statistics, this means that a population of just over 3.5 percent residing in the U.S. unlawfully committed 22 percent to 37 percent of all murders in the nation. This is astounding.
Illegal immigrants clearly commit a level of violent and drug related crimes disproportionate to their population
Vetted crime statistics from USDOJ, the U.S. Sentencing Commission and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) are both clear and demonstrative that illegal immigrants who comprise only 3.5 percent of our nations population, are convicted and sentenced for the crime of murder at a rate of three times that of their American citizen and legal immigrant counterparts.
In California alone, over 2,400 illegal immigrants out of a total prison population of 130,000 are imprisoned in the states prison system for the crime of homicide.
The misrepresentation of comparisons in who commits crimes between illegal immigrants, legal U.S. immigrants and American citizens
The pro-illegal immigrant lobby consistently misrepresents the criminal involvement of illegal immigrants as compared to immigrants who legally enter the U.S. and American citizens, saying that illegal immigrants commit less crimes than their counterparts. This assertion is false in most cases. Here are the vetted statistics:
In California, there are just over 92 illegal immigrants imprisoned for every 100,000 illegals as compared to 74 citizens and legal non-citizen immigrants. In Arizona, the rate is nearly 69 illegals imprisoned for every 100,000, as compared to 54 citizens and legal non-citizen immigrants.
In New York, over three times as many illegal immigrants or 169, are imprisoned for crimes per 100,000, as compared to only 48 citizens and legal non-citizen immigrants. Only the states of Texas and Florida do illegal immigrants commit less crimes than their legal immigrant counterparts (Texas with 54.5 illegals imprisoned per 100,000, compared to 65 legal immigrants and Florida with 55 illegals imprisoned, compared to 68 legal immigrants).
Texas is an epicenter for illegal immigrant crimes
Recent crime analysis by both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Texas law enforcement authorities indicate that between June 2011 and March 2017, over 217,000 criminal immigrants were arrested and booked into Texas jails.
In researching the criminal careers of these defendants, it was revealed that they had jointly committed over nearly 600,000 criminal offenses. Their arrests included nearly 1,200 homicides; almost 69,000 assaults; 16,854 burglaries; 700 kidnappings; nearly 6,200 sexual assaults; 69,000 drug offenses; 8,700 weapons violations; over 3,800 robberies and over 45,000 obstructing police charges. In determining the status of these offenders in the U.S., it was confirmed by DHS that over 173,000 or 66 percent of these immigrant criminal defendants were in our country illegally at the times of their arrests.
Sanctuary State California politicians fight against deporting criminal illegal immigrants
Currently, a fight is brewing between California Open Borders politicians and the states Democratic controlled Legislature and the Department of Justice regarding the protection of violent criminal illegal immigrants.
Hardly any Californians know that in 2014, Gov. Brown signed a bill that amended a state statute amending the maximum sentencing for misdemeanor crimes by one day from 365 to 364 days in jail. This was deliberately done to avoid current federal laws that provide for the deportation of illegal and legal immigrants in this country who have received sentences of 365 days or more.
With the newly enacted jail and prison diversion programs of Propositions 109 and 47, Gov. Brown and company are effectively preventing the federal government from removing violent and recidivist illegal immigrants from our midst through the deportation process.
The extreme costs of keeping illegal immigrant criminals in this country
According to research and statistics by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, U.S. taxpayers are footing an annual bill of nearly $19 million a day to house and care for an estimated 300,000 to 450,000 convicted criminal immigrants who are eligible for deportation and are currently residing in local jails and state and federal prisons across the country.
These figures include not only those immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, but all immigrants here who commit and have been convicted of crimes. Other accounting estimates indicate that the total cost for all corrections, medical and support services for adults and juvenile immigrant criminals nationally to be over $1.8 billion dollars.
So the next time you hear some Open Borders politician or pro illegal immigrant surrogates advocate on their behalf, ask yourself why we as American citizens need to bear the increasing costs of violence, victimization and burdensome taxes in subsidizing illegal immigrant criminals who shouldnt be in our country in the first place.
Ron Martinelli is a nationally renowned forensic criminologist and law enforcement expert. Martinelli is a retired San Jose (CA) police detective who provides forensic investigation and expert services to numerous states, large municipalities and national private law firms specializing in civil rights. He is fluent in Spanish and divides his time between California, Texas and Mexico.
The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.
Originally posted here:
The truth about crime, illegal immigrants and sanctuary cities - The Hill (blog)
- Criminal illegal alien arrested in Texas for allegedly opening fire on neighbors with assault rifle over Memorial Day weekend has been deported from... - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- June 2: Sen. Liz Brown's bill on illegal immigration ceremonially signed into law - Fort Wayne Business Weekly - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- ICE arrests 24 illegal aliens during 1-day targeted operation with federal, state and local partners in Texas - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs... - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Government is intensifying efforts to tackle illegal immigration: SA President - Channel Africa - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Ramaphosa to act on illegal immigration as anti-foreigner protests spread across SA - Daily Maverick - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Government intensifies fight against corruption, illegal immigration - South African Government News Agency - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Iran's Khamenei warns US will lose 'safe haven' in Gulf; Amit Shah forms panel on illegal immigration-lin - The Times of India - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Centre forms panel to study demographic shifts linked to illegal immigration - The Indian EYE - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Call for anti-illegal immigration demonstrators to operate within the law - EWN - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Assam urges Centre to seal its border with Bangladesh to prevent illegal immigration - News On AIR - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Government convenes urgent meeting over anti-illegal immigration protests - The Witness | Your compass in the community - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Big Banks and the U.S. Treasury Have Been Enabling Illegal Immigration for Two Decades - Center for Immigration Studies - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- Judge Re-Blocks Provisions of Texas Illegal Entry Law - Federation for American Immigration Reform - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- Ghana High Commission starts repatriation process after tensions over illegal immigration - EWN - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- ICE arrests illegal alien accused of killing daughter in Arizona - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) - May 20th, 2026 [May 20th, 2026]
- EDITORIAL: Upholding the rule of law against illegal immigration - Colorado Springs Gazette - May 20th, 2026 [May 20th, 2026]
- Three-time deported illegal alien arrested and charged after assaulting federal immigration officers in the Eastern District of Texas - Herald... - May 20th, 2026 [May 20th, 2026]
- Border Control to Stop Illegal Immigration is Necessary to Protect the U.S., but Legal Immigration is Important Too - Daily Gate City - May 16th, 2026 [May 16th, 2026]
- Ramaphosa calls for unity against xenophobia and illegal immigration challenges - Cape Town ETC - May 11th, 2026 [May 11th, 2026]
- ICE lodges detainer on criminal illegal alien in Texas accused of beating victim unconscious, raping him while he was incapacitated - ICE | U.S.... - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Second Circuit Breaks with Others on Mandatory Detention of Illegal Entrants - Center for Immigration Studies - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- New Legal Challenge to Texas Law Criminalizing Illegal Immigration Rebuked by Lt. Gov. Patrick - The Texan - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- ICE confirms suspect in San Francisco stabbing is Venezuelan criminal illegal alien who entered the US under Biden administrations deadly... - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- East End Officials Disgraceful Pandering to the Illegal Immigration Mob - Long Island Life & Politics - April 27th, 2026 [April 27th, 2026]
- New York to Further Shackle ICE to Shield Illegal Aliens - Federation for American Immigration Reform - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Virginia Gov. Spanberger addresses reporters on redistricting, illegal immigration - Fox News - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Bill creating state illegal immigration crime headed to Lee - Johnson City Press - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Letter: In regards to illegal immigration and the No Kings rally - Wadena Pioneer Journal - April 8th, 2026 [April 8th, 2026]
- Illegal alien sends 2 ICE officers to hospital after attempt to dangerously evade arrest - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) - April 8th, 2026 [April 8th, 2026]
- Meet one of the medias non-criminals: ICE arrests illegal alien wanted for murder in Virginia - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) - April 8th, 2026 [April 8th, 2026]
- Bill creating state illegal immigration crime headed to Lee - blackchronicle.com - April 8th, 2026 [April 8th, 2026]
- Illinois Poised to Pass Another Bill Shielding Illegal Aliens in the State - Federation for American Immigration Reform - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Alito invokes Scalia analogy in birthright citizenship case over illegal immigration - Fox News - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Mass Deportation Coalition Launches Playbook Aimed at Reversing the Harmful Impact of Mass Illegal Immigration - PR Newswire - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Cesar Chavez fought illegal immigration is that why he was canceled so quickly? - The College Fix - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Video | Nitiin Gadkari Raises Alarm On 'Illegal Immigration' In Assam Ahead Of State Elections - NDTV - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Man convicted on incest, other sex charges sentenced to federal prison for illegal immigration - Gulf Coast News and Weather - March 20th, 2026 [March 20th, 2026]
- FAIR Launches Investigation into Illegal Aliens Access to the U.S. Banking System - Federation for American Immigration Reform - March 20th, 2026 [March 20th, 2026]
- ICE Houston lodges detainers on 2 criminal illegal aliens arrested for intoxicated manslaughter in past month - U.S. Immigration and Customs... - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- Letters: Trump has stemmed tide of illegal immigration that leads to many ills - NOLA.com - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- Birmingham man charged with impeding arrest of person accused of illegal immigration - WBRC - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- Sen. John Cornyn calls Texas mass shooting a sad but familiar story, warns of illegal immigration - Fox News - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- Utahns first or eroding the Utah way? House OKs measure cracking down on illegal immigration - KSL.com - March 2nd, 2026 [March 2nd, 2026]
- Is the government meeting its pledges on illegal immigration and asylum? - BBC - March 2nd, 2026 [March 2nd, 2026]
- California to Spend $35 Million to Prevent the Deportation of Illegal Aliens - Federation for American Immigration Reform - March 2nd, 2026 [March 2nd, 2026]
- ICE Special Response Team arrests criminal illegal alien alleged sex offender and human smuggler in Minneapolis - U.S. Immigration and Customs... - February 26th, 2026 [February 26th, 2026]
- ICE Harrisonburg arrests illegal alien with extensive criminal history - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) - February 26th, 2026 [February 26th, 2026]
- Imposition of Visa Restrictions on Uzbekistanis Facilitating Illegal Immigration to the United States - U.S. Department of State (.gov) - February 26th, 2026 [February 26th, 2026]
- ICE arrests violent criminal illegal alien who murdered a toddler in Wisconsin - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) - February 26th, 2026 [February 26th, 2026]
- ICE deports Jamaican criminal illegal alien convicted of murdering a father of 7 - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) - February 26th, 2026 [February 26th, 2026]
- ICE, federal partners arrest criminal illegal alien from El Salvador convicted of murder - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) - February 26th, 2026 [February 26th, 2026]
- ICE Buffalo investigation lands criminal illegal alien 25-year prison sentence for distribution of child sexual abuse material - U.S. Immigration and... - February 26th, 2026 [February 26th, 2026]
- Criminal illegal alien sentenced to prison for assaulting ICE officers during Massachusetts arrest - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- Chicago mayor orders CPD to document illegal activity by immigration agents - FOX 32 Chicago - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- Chicago mayor tells police to probe allegations of illegal activity by immigration agents - Reuters - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- The Left is Badly Misreading the Politics of Illegal Immigration - American Enterprise Institute - AEI - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago ordered city police on Saturday to formally document and report aggressive and potentially illegal federal... - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- Opinion | The left is badly misreading the politics of illegal immigration - The Washington Post - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- Federal Court Will Hear Minnesota Claims That Immigration Surge is Illegal - The New York Times - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Letters: News outlets are denigrating federal agents and glossing over the reality of illegal immigration - chicagotribune.com - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Chaffetz: Democrats Have Overplayed Their Hand On Illegal Immigration - FOX News Radio - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- VOTE: Do you agree with the way ICE is conducting its illegal immigration crackdown? - WPEC - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- ICE arrests dozens of criminal illegal aliens convicted of murder, child rape and more in sanctuary state Minnesota - ICE | U.S. Immigration and... - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- VOTE: Do you agree with the way ICE is conducting its illegal immigration crackdown? - National News Desk - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Cochran: Illegal immigration, enforcement of laws to be at forefront of assembly session - The Daily Post-Athenian - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Report: Hundreds more federal agents to arrive in Twin Cities for illegal immigration and fraud crackdown - Star Tribune - January 6th, 2026 [January 6th, 2026]
- Who's Responsible? Identity Theft Fueled by Government Inaction and Illegal Immigration - Herald/Review Media - January 6th, 2026 [January 6th, 2026]
- Report: Hundreds more federal agents to arrive in Twin Cities for illegal immigration and fraud crackdown - Red Lake Nation News - January 6th, 2026 [January 6th, 2026]
- Who's Responsible? Identity Theft Fueled by Government Inaction and Illegal Immigration - RealClearInvestigations - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- 2025 Year in Review: Border Security and Illegal Immigration - thetexan.news - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- ICE Operation Highway Sentinel arrests over 100 illegal alien truck drivers in Gavin Newsoms California - ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs... - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- ED Attaches Assets Worth Rs 5.41 Crore Over Illegal Immigration To US - NDTV - December 16th, 2025 [December 16th, 2025]
- Is the government meeting its pledges on illegal immigration and asylum? - AOL.com - December 16th, 2025 [December 16th, 2025]
- ROSEN: Ruben Navarette glosses over illegal part of immigration - Sentinel Colorado - December 16th, 2025 [December 16th, 2025]
- HUDs Turner blames housing affordability crisis on unchecked illegal immigration - Scotsman Guide - December 16th, 2025 [December 16th, 2025]
- TSA and DHS team up to crackdown on illegal immigration in the air - Fox News - December 14th, 2025 [December 14th, 2025]
- OPINION: Its Time For Cities To Join The Fight Against Illegal Immigration - Dallas Express - December 14th, 2025 [December 14th, 2025]
- Tory shadow minister praises Trumps illegal immigration crackdown and says it could work in UK - the-independent.com - December 10th, 2025 [December 10th, 2025]
- Vances Misleading Claims on Housing Prices and Illegal Immigration - FactCheck.org - December 10th, 2025 [December 10th, 2025]
- The truth about crime and illegal immigration is even worse than you imagine - The Telegraph - December 10th, 2025 [December 10th, 2025]