CHICLA 443 Theories of International Migration & Contemporary Debates on Immigration and Crime

Neoclassical economics

migration stems from geographical differences with supply and demand for labor. people move from low-wage paying countries to high-wage

Shortcomings of neoclassical economics

wage inequality doesn’t track immigration well. circular migration from Mexico was popular till 80s and expected income is only ONE motivation for international migration

New economics of labor migration

explains that migration is a decision made by the entire household to improve economic circumstances

World systems theory

international migration is linked to changes to the structure of global markets. People live their countries due to ‘push’ factors and come to countries with good ‘pull’ factors.

• the same factors that influence movement of goods, capital, and information are the ones that promote the flow of people by reducing the costs of movement

Segmented labor market theory

immigration is more influenced by the ‘pull’ factors in receiving countries

two labor markets

• primary: formal, secure, good salaries and benefits

• secondary: informal, dangerous, not secure

theory argues that employers turn to immigrants to fill low-wage jobs when they can’t attract native workers

Social capital theory

interpersonal ties increase the likelihood of international migration because they lower costs and risks of movement, with increased expected net returns of migration

Cumulative causation theory

migration becomes more likely over time as people gain experience and form social ties

• create a black market in migration services through the use of coyotes

Old vs. New Destinations

immigrant trends could affect crime differently in new destinations

• rooted in social disorganization if communities can’t meet residents’ needs

• new destinations provide LESS immigrant opportunity and immigrants are LESS socially and economically integrated

Racial Differences

immigration could increase black violent crime by displacing workers

immigration could also increase latino violence in new immigrant destinations

• data is shown to be very cross-sectionally based which is a major limitation

Undocumented Immigration?

undocumented immigration can increase crime

• does it increase violent crime? NO

however, revenue-producing crimes could be more common among immigrants

• undocumented immigrants are NEGATIVELY ASSOCIATED with violence

there are challenges with public perception and political rhetoric that can also implicate public policy

Undocumented Immigration, Drugs, and Alcohol Problems

there is no correlation between undocumented immigration and the # of DUI and drug arrests/deaths

Undocumented Immigration and Terrorism

immigration policy was hard to separate from counterterrorism policy after 9/11, but, as undocumented immigration RISES, there is NO CHANGE with the # of terrorism events, cases, and radicalization

Does Immigration Reinforcement Reduce Crime?

Secure Communities — every person arrested for a crime by local law enforcement is screened by federal government for immigration violations

• was not effective and there was no impact on crime.

  • only impact served on less serious crimes

local immigration enforcement undermines public safety by marginalizing immigrant communities and impeding cooperation between police and residents

Do sanctuary policies affect crime?

neighborhoods benefit most from immigrant concentration in terms of homicide reduction

• as immigration INCREASES, homicides rates DECREASE in sanctuary cities

  • no change in non-sanctuary

political contexts that are more favored bolster social organization

Do amnesty policies affect crime?

amnesty has NO EFFECT on violent crime, but did decrease property crime

Doesn’t any crime by an undocumented immigrant increase crime?

if the metric for increasing violent crime is that any person of a specific group has committed a crime, then this can be applied to any sort of group

Do undocumented immigrants commit more crime?

no crime reporting system asks about immigration status and data reporting has gotten worse

• crime rates for property, drugs, violent, and traffic among undocumented immigrants remain low for undocumented immigrants compared to legal immigrants and US citizens

Historical changes in immigration and crime

The incarceration rates for US born citizens was higher compared to 1st gen immigrants of different racial groups around 1960 and remains so.

• Education status is a strong correlate for going to prison

There are no changes to immigration policy that would impact crime

Underreporting can’t be a factor because declines are observed from sending regions, citizens, and before increased deportations happened

There is a huge incarceration gap as part of a trend of growing differences between immigrants and US born

Dillingham Commission

Congress funded this high-level commission to research the causes and impact of recent immigration to build support for significant restrictions on European immigration.

• The report's recommendations helped justify immigration restriction acts passed during and after World War I. 

• The report's recommendations influenced American views on immigration and increased support for restrictive immigration laws in the 1920s. 

Wickersham Commission

The Wickersham Commission, officially the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement, was established by President Herbert Hoover to investigate the causes and costs of crime, including the enforcement of Prohibition, and also included an examination of crime and immigration. 

• The commission's report, particularly the volume examining crime and foreign-born Americans, found that immigrants were not disproportionately involved in crime compared to native-born Americans.