#immigration-policy — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #immigration-policy, aggregated by home.social.
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DATE: May 11, 2026 at 11:58AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORGTITLE: Jailed Immigrants Show Lower Risk of Criminality Than Native-Born Citizens
Source: PsyPost
Many politicians paint immigrants as dangerous criminals, but new research reveals the opposite. A comprehensive study shows that immigrants booked into jail possess far fewer behavioral risk factors for crime and shorter criminal histories than native-born citizens. This suggests that policies targeting immigrants as public safety threats are based on inaccurate stereotypes. The findings were published in the journal Psychology, Public Policy,...
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ImmigrantCriminalityMyth #CriminalJusticeResearch #ImmigrationPolicy #PublicSafetyFacts #JailedImmigrants #NativeBornBias #BehavioralRiskFactors #PsychologyPublicPolicy #EvidenceBasedPolicy #SocialPsychologyResearch
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DATE: May 11, 2026 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Jailed immigrants show lower risk for criminal behavior than native-born citizens
Research shows that immigrants who are booked into jail have fewer individual risk factors for crime and shorter criminal histories than native-born citizens. This suggests that policies targeting immigrants as inherent public safety threats are based on inaccurate stereotypes. The findings were published in the journal Psychology, Public Policy, and Law.
Public conversations in the United States routinely depict immigrants as an acute danger to public safety. Rhetoric surrounding border security often paints people entering the country as potential perpetrators of violence. Yet sociological studies consistently contradict this narrative. Research shows that immigrants are actually less likely to violate laws than people born in the United States.
Scholars commonly refer to this phenomenon as the immigrant paradox. Individuals relocating from other countries often display better health and behavioral outcomes than native-born citizens. This occurs even though immigrants frequently face severe economic disadvantages and the strict psychological toll of adapting to a new society. Both low socioeconomic status and severe stress are usually strong predictors of rule-breaking behavior.
While the broader population trends are well documented, the specific psychological mechanisms remain less understood. Past studies have largely focused on macro-level data, like neighborhood crime rates. Researchers have spent less time evaluating the individual characteristics that predict whether someone will commit an offense.
Criminal psychologists refer to these individual traits as criminogenic risk factors. The justice system often focuses on a cluster of primary traits known as the central eight. These mental and behavioral markers include an established history of illegal behavior, an antisocial personality pattern, and an antisocial thinking style that rationalizes breaking the rules.
The remaining central factors evaluate a person’s immediate environment and daily life. They look at issues like socializing with rule-breaking peers, struggling with substance abuse, and experiencing deep family relationship problems. They also assess educational or employment difficulties and a general lack of positive recreational hobbies.
A team of researchers wanted to know how these individual predictors differ based on a person’s immigration status. University of Texas at El Paso psychology researcher Jennifer Eno Louden led the project to evaluate people already entangled in the legal system. She worked alongside Theodore R. Curry, Betel Hernandez, Elena Vaudreuil, and Osvaldo F. Morera. They sought to provide an objective behavioral profile of jail detainees in a border community.
The researchers conducted two separate studies in El Paso, Texas. This region borders Mexico and sees heavy involvement from state and federal border enforcement agencies. For the first study, the team acquired booking records from the local county jail. They analyzed data from more than five thousand successive intakes over several months.
The team looked at the most serious current charges holding each person in custody. They also reviewed the results of standard pretrial risk assessments conducted by jail staff. Because the facility does not formally record immigration status, the team estimated this based on each person’s recorded country of birth and country of citizenship.
They divided the data into three groups. These groups included individuals born in the United States, immigrants from Mexico, and immigrants from other countries. The researchers then compared the formal criminal histories across all three categories.
They found that both groups of immigrants had less extensive criminal histories than their native-born peers. Mexican immigrants showed lower rates of drug abuse charges compared to the other two groups. However, Mexican immigrants experienced higher rates of arrests related to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
When looking at the overall pretrial risk evaluations, native-born individuals scored highest. They were more likely to have prior felony convictions and were more likely to be under some form of legal supervision. Native-born citizens also exhibited higher rates of housing instability compared to the immigrant groups.
The second study aimed to build on the first by gathering detailed personal information through direct interviews. Over a period of eighteen months, the team randomly selected and approached individuals recently booked into the same jail. They successfully interviewed nearly three hundred participants.
Participants were grouped into three categories based on self-reported information. These groups were native-born citizens, documented immigrants, and undocumented immigrants. Trained research assistants administered a widely used psychological evaluation to assess the eight central risk factors for crime. The interviewers also questioned participants about their lifetime criminal actions and their degree of cultural adaptation.
The interview results paralleled the findings from the initial public records review. Undocumented immigrants had the oldest average age for their first legal offense. Native-born citizens and documented immigrants reported engaging in a higher total number of crimes throughout their lives.
When measuring the eight central risk factors, native-born citizens scored the highest. Documented immigrants scored lower, and undocumented immigrants scored the lowest out of the three groups.
Undocumented individuals showed lower risk scores on seven out of the eight evaluation measures. The only category where they scored higher than native-born citizens was in education and employment difficulties. Native-born citizens scored highest in categories measuring antisocial behavior, substance abuse, and associating with problematic peers.
The formal charges holding these individuals in jail also varied widely by group. Native-born citizens and documented immigrants faced higher rates of violent offenses and property crimes. Undocumented immigrants were primarily locked up for immigration-related offenses like illegal entry.
The researchers also examined the process of acculturation. This metric evaluates how strongly an individual adopts the mainstream culture of a new country. They found a positive association between adapting to United States culture and carrying increased behavioral risk. Participants who indicated a stronger orientation toward mainstream American culture had elevated risk scores across almost all categories.
Conversely, maintaining a strong connection to the culture of their origin country was associated with lower risk. The researchers suggest that rapid cultural adaptation might expose individuals to new psychological stressors. It might also connect them to native-born peers who encourage and support rule-breaking behaviors.
The researchers mapped out several caveats regarding their work. Because all the data came from people booked into a specific county jail, the findings might not generalize to individuals living freely in the community. Changes in local policing practices or officer bias could also affect who ends up in the jail population in the first place.
Relying on self-reported interview data carries the risk that participants will understate their past criminal behaviors. The researchers attempted to minimize this issue by conducting the interviews in private areas. They also enacted strict confidentiality protocols to make participants feel comfortable answering honestly.
Another limitation involves relying on official United States records in the first study, which might omit crimes committed in other countries. The team designed the second study to capture international histories through direct questioning, which helped support the initial findings. The researchers stress that their results do not reflect community-wide crime rates, but rather focus squarely on individuals already inside the justice system.
Future studies should investigate how these specific individual traits predict repeat offending among minority communities. Risk assessment tools used by judges and parole boards might need adjustments to reflect the actual behaviors of immigrant populations. The authors suggest that criminal psychological risk might take different forms depending on a person’s cultural background.
The findings suggest that border enforcement strategies based on the assumption that immigrants threaten public safety are misguided. Subjecting immigrant communities to heightened police scrutiny diverts resources away from people who actually possess high psychological risk factors. Policies focusing solely on a person’s legal residency status fail to address the true drivers of criminal behavior.
The study, “Criminogenic Risk Factors Among Immigrants in the U.S.-México Border Region,” was authored by Jennifer Eno Louden, Theodore R. Curry, Betel Hernandez, Elena Vaudreuil, and Osvaldo F. Morera.
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DAILY EMAIL DIGEST: Email [email protected] -- no subject or message needed.
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot
Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ImmigrantParadox #CriminogenicRiskFactors #ImmigrationPolicy #PublicSafety #CriminalJusticeResearch #BorderRegionStudies #ImmigrantsAndCrime #NativeBornRisks #DriverOfAcculturation #EvidenceBasedPolicy
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Discurso anti-imigração dá vitória histórica para extrema direita nas eleições locais do Reino Unido
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Here’s why Canada needs to ditch age‑based immigration points
#Canada #Immigration #Policy #HumanRights #Equality #Discrimination #Ageism #CanadianPolitics #Inclusion #ImmigrationPolicy #SocialJustice #CharterRights #Economy #PublicDebate #Politics
https://the-14.com/heres-why-canada-needs-to-ditch-age-based-immigration-points/ -
First Arrivals in Congo: A New Chapter in US Deportation Policy
First 15 Latin American deportees arrive in Congo as part of a new US agreement. Find out who is affected and what happens next.
#USDeportation, #Congo, #ImmigrationPolicy, #ThirdCountryDeportees, #HumanRights
https://newsletter.tf/us-deports-latin-americans-to-congo-new-deal/
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The significance of this story is not only the immigration angle, but the mechanism: housing eligibility itself. HUD’s proposed rule would require verification of citizenship or eligible status for all residents in covered assisted housing, which could fundamentally change how mixed-status households are treated.
#HUD #PublicHousing #ImmigrationPolicy #HousingJustice #USPolitics #MixedStatusFamilies #news #usa -
Oracle Files H-1B Visa Petitions Amid Mass Layoffs
#HackerNews #Oracle #H1B #Visa #MassLayoffs #TechNews #ImmigrationPolicy
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GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES AS DEMOCRATS STICK TO ICE STANCE
Senator Peter Welch explains why Democrats are blocking government funding over ICE policies, impacting federal services and immigration reform talks.
#GovernmentShutdown, #ICE, #Democrats, #ImmigrationPolicy, #PeterWelch
https://newsletter.tf/democrats-demand-ice-policy-changes-to-end-shutdown/
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Democrats are holding up government funding, saying they need changes to ICE policies before agreeing to a deal. This is the main reason for the shutdown.
#GovernmentShutdown, #ICE, #Democrats, #ImmigrationPolicy, #PeterWelch
https://newsletter.tf/democrats-demand-ice-policy-changes-to-end-shutdown/ -
President Trump declared on Truth Social that ICE agents will replace TSA personnel for airport passenger screenings unless Congress intervenes. #ImmigrationPolicy #AirportSecurity
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A journey into my family’s past taught me to keep sight of the present
Genealogy is an addictive hobby but unlocking family secrets — and dealing with the fallout — can reveal…
#NewsBeep #News #Entertainment #Ancestry #annielouey #AU #Australia #australianstory #familyhistory #familysecrets #genealogy #immigrationpolicy #jasonom #westernvictoria #whiteaustraliapolicy
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/555843/ -
“Parents were forced to leave their children under the informal care of friends or family members who were also vulnerable to deportation. Others were separated from young children and toddlers – including a mother who was deported without her two-month-old baby.”
#ICE #DeportedParents #StopFamilySeparation #ImmigrationPolicy
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/19/trump-deportation-children-trauma?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other -
Thom Tillis Grills DHS Sec. Kristi Noem Over FEMA Delays and ICE Quotas
In a stunning Senate clash, Thom Tillis dismantles Kristi Noem’s DHS record, citing FEMA delays, deportation quotas, and failures of accountability.
#CivilRights #DHS #DisasterRelief #FEMA #governmentAccountability #HomelandSecurityAct #ICE #ImmigrationPolicy #KristiNoem #SenateHearing #ThomTillis https://wp.me/p1OjMZ-oL0 -
Pakistani National's Refugee Status in Canada Under Review After Homeland Returns
Pakistani nationals in Canada face refugee status reviews if they return to Pakistan. Learn how this impacts asylum claims and permanent residency.
#CanadaImmigration, #RefugeeStatus, #PakistaniNationals, #AsylumSeekers, #ImmigrationPolicy
https://newsletter.tf/pakistani-nationals-refugee-status-canada-review-home/
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Several Pakistani nationals in Canada are having their refugee claims reviewed after returning to their home country. This is a change from previous decisions.
#CanadaImmigration, #RefugeeStatus, #PakistaniNationals, #AsylumSeekers, #ImmigrationPolicy
https://newsletter.tf/pakistani-nationals-refugee-status-canada-review-home/
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Today’s congressional testimony is raising new questions about immigration enforcement, training standards, and public safety. What lawmakers are pressing behind the scenes? 👀 Click here → https://tinyurl.com/mrxztunj
#ImmigrationPolicy #Congress #News #KristiNoem #DHS #ICE #USPolitics #Immigration #Politics #Minnesota #Congress #Democracy 🇺🇸 -
Trump Administration Proposals Could Significantly Restrict Asylum Seekers' Work Permits
New USCIS proposal could make asylum seekers wait 1 year for work permits. This affects their ability to earn money and support families in the US.
#AsylumSeekers, #WorkPermits, #USCIS, #ImmigrationPolicy, #2026Changes
https://newsletter.tf/us-proposal-makes-asylum-seekers-wait-1-year-for-work-permits/
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The US is proposing to make asylum seekers wait a full year before they can apply for a work permit. This is much longer than the current 150 days.
#AsylumSeekers, #WorkPermits, #USCIS, #ImmigrationPolicy, #2026Changes
https://newsletter.tf/us-proposal-makes-asylum-seekers-wait-1-year-for-work-permits/
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“It’s more the rule than the exception that people generally are not given their stuff back,” says Graham Ojala-Barbour, a Minneapolis immigration attorney. “As far as I can tell, it’s the practice of ICE to throw everybody’s documents into a black box and then lose it.”
#ImmigrantRights #ImmigrationPolicy #HumanRights #ICENews #ICE
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/02/ice-detention-keeping-not-returning-immigration-documents-work-permits/ -
Justice means accountability — no matter how powerful you are. “Just ICE” is not justice. It’s policy without compassion. How a country treats the vulnerable says everything about its values. #Justice #HumanRights #RuleOfLaw #Accountability #ImmigrationPolicy
