Fox runs with right-wing group’s absurd “estimate” that “2,158 killed by illegals every year”
Fox & Friends displayed an on-screen graphic promoting a ridiculous Family Security Matters estimate that “2,158 killed by illegals every year.” But that statistic is derived from completely baseless assumptions about immigrants’ crime rates. Actual studies have found that immigrants in general are less likely to be incarcerated and that there is no evidence that undocumented immigrants commit a disproportionate amount of crime.
Fox chyron cites absurd estimate that “2,158 killed by illegals every year”
Fox pushes ridiculous immigrant crime estimate. Fox & Friends hosted Ed Kowalski, a board member from the group 9/11 Families for a Secure America, to discuss, among other things, the controversial new Arizona immigration law. During the segment, co-host Gretchen Carlson said, “According to you, politicians seem to be more concerned about the illegals’ rights than the rights of the Americans, some of whom end up dead.” Kowalski responded: “That’s correct, that’s correct. As best as we can estimate, 2,200 Americans a year are murdered by criminal illegal aliens. That number is staggering.” Several times throughout the segment, the following on-screen text aired:
But the “crude” statistic is based on an analysis using completely baseless assumptions
Human Events writer bizarrely assumed that immigrants are committing crimes at the same rate that people purportedly commit crimes in their home countries. The immigrant murder rate cited by Fox News is based on a 2005 Human Events noted, the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found in a February 2008 study “Crime, Corrections, and California“:
The difference only grows when we expand our investigation. When we consider all institutionalization (not only prisons but also jails, halfway houses, and the like) and focus on the population that is most likely to be in institutions because of criminal activity (men ages 18-40), we find that, in California, U.S.-born men have an institutionalization rate that is 10 times higher than that of foreign-born men (4.2% vs. 0.42%). And when we compare foreign-born men to U.S.-born men with similar age and education levels, these differences become even greater. [PPIC, “Crime, Corrections, and California,” February 2008]
PPIC: “[I]mmigrants are underrepresented in California prisons.” In its February 2008 study, PPIC found that “the foreign-born, who make up about 35 percent of the adult population in California, constitute only about 17 percent of the adult prison.” According to PPIC:
[I]mmigrants are underrepresented in California prisons compared to their representation in the overall population. In fact, U.S.- born adult men are incarcerated at a rate over two-and-a-half times greater than that of foreign-born men. [PPIC, “Crime, Corrections, and California,” February 2008]
Immigration Policy Center: “[I]ncarceration rates among young men are lowest for immigrants.” According to a 2007 Immigration Policy Center (IPC) report, “data from the census and other sources show that for every ethnic group without exception, incarceration rates among young men are lowest for immigrants, even those who are the least educated”:
In fact, data from the census and other sources show that for every ethnic group without exception, incarceration rates among young men are lowest for immigrants, even those who are the least educated. This holds true especially for the Mexicans, Salvadorans, and Guatemalans who make up the bulk of the undocumented population. What is more, these patterns have been observed consistently over the last three decennial censuses, a period that spans the current era of mass immigration, and recall similar national-level findings reported by three major government commissions during the first three decades of the 20th century. The problem of crime in the United States is not “caused” or even aggravated by immigrants, regardless of their legal status.
[…]
Among men age 18-39 (who comprise the vast majority of the prison population), the 3.5 percent incarceration rate of the native-born in 2000 was 5 times higher than the 0.7 percent incarceration rate of the foreign-born. [IPC, “The Myth of Immigrant Criminality and the Paradox of Assimilation,” Spring 2007]
Even “low-immigration” think tank acknowledges data don’t support claim that undocumented immigrants have high crime rates
CIS acknowledges claims of high immigrant criminality rates are not “well supported.” The Center for Immigration Studies, which column that “[w]hen individuals enter our nation with out undergoing the mandated inspections process … it is comparable to someone breaking into a home in the dead of night.”
FSM pushed false claim that leprosy cases in U.S. have spiked because of “illegal aliens.” In a March 6, 2007, article, FSM wrote that “[m]any illegal aliens are carrying horrific third world diseases” and pushed the false claim that “[i]n the 40 years prior to 2002, there were only 900 total cases of leprosy in the US. In the following three years there have been 9,000 cases.”
FSM contributor: “Show Your Papers — Then Thank the Police for Asking.” In a May 3 column, FSM contributor Gregory D. Lee defended Arizona’s recently passed immigration law and wrote: “If you are a U.S. citizen residing or visiting Arizona and a highway patrol officer stops you for speeding and asks you for your papers — show them! Thank him for enforcing the law.”
FSM contributor accuses NCLR of trying “to dismantle American sovereignty.” In a January 4 column, contributing editor Carolyn Cooke attacked the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), claiming that NCLR’s “lobbying efforts” are aimed at trying “to dismantle American sovereignty.” Cooke also falsely claimed that “the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), [is] translated, ‘The National Council of the Race.’ “
FSM contributor: It is “well-documented” that “[t]hough exceptions exist, these Mexicans are incorrigible trouble-makers and we just don’t want them in our country.” In a May 5 column, contributing editor Vincent Giola wrote, “[T]he failure to pay attention to the obvious affect illegal immigration has on California’s social services means that some of your children’s teachers in California will soon be unemployed.” Giola later stated, “Is it worth destroying a whole generation of our citizen children’s educational years simply to have lower cost produce or cheap gardeners?”
Family Security Matters repeatedly promoted birther conspiracy theory
FSM repeatedly promoted false claim that Obama has not produced valid birth certificate. An October 27, 2008, post by the FSM’s “research staff and editors” promoted the conspiracy theory that Obama has not produced a valid U.S. birth certificate. FSM wrote: “These allegations will not go away until Mr. Obama produces proof to State and federal authorities. If he will not do so voluntarily he must be compelled by every means available.” FSM has published numerous other articles promoting the birther conspiracy theory.
