State Sen. Lana Theis’s theatrics surface again as she grandstands to make political hay because of Ruby Garcia’s murder by an undocumented immigrant. This disrespects the grieving Garcia family, which has suffered enough unwanted attention because of false claims from the Republican presidential nominee. Her remarks demagogue immigration and pander to a select constituency.
People from all nationalities commit assault, but published research shows that undocumented migrants commit fewer crimes — including homicide — than U.S.-born citizens (Light, He & Robey, 2020, pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2014704117).
A deterrent to crime is deportation, which can be a death sentence in corrupt and unstable countries run by drug cartels. Many undocumented migrants left violent countries to seek safety here.
Research data shows that U.S.-born citizens are over 2 times more likely to be arrested for violent crimes, 2.5 times more likely to be arrested for drug crimes, and over 4 times more likely to be arrested for property crimes. Immigration enforcement programs have not reduced crime rates because they do not target the largest group of offenders, the U.S.-born.
Sen. Theis’s emotional rant fosters implicit biases and spreads the disease of xenophobia, which does nothing to make Michiganders safer. If legislators want to reduce crime, then focus on the offenders and not on humble, hard-working immigrants who have had the guts and courage to risk a perilous journey in search of a better life.
Evelyn Gallegos
Brighton
