Immigrants in US less likely to be victims of crime, more likely to report incidents

Immigrants in the US are less likely to be victims of violent crime than citizens born in the country and are more likely to report crime when it happens. A new study from the Cato Institute, based on six years of federal survey data, challenges the common view that immigration and crime rise together.

Lower Risk of Violence
The analysis shows that immigrants were 44 percent less likely than US-born people to suffer violent crime between 2017 and 2023. Noncitizens had a 30 percent lower risk. Researchers estimate that if immigrants had been victimized at the same rate as others, the US would have recorded about 2.1 million additional violent crimes during the period.

The gap held across most types of violent crime. Immigrants were less likely to face aggravated assault, sexual violence, simple assault, and verbal threats. In robbery, where the difference was smaller, they were still less likely to be victims. In many cases, immigrants were far less likely to know their attackers. Nearly 80 percent of immigrant robbery victims did not know the offender, compared with about two-thirds of US-born victims.

Family and Close Relations
The study also found lower levels of violence within families. Immigrants were 65 percent less likely to be harmed by relatives, and noncitizens were 46 percent less likely. The findings point to significantly lower rates of intimate and domestic violence among immigrant households.

Incarceration and Crime Trends
The Cato report notes that incarceration patterns match these results. Immigrants are 64 percent less likely to be incarcerated than US-born citizens, while noncitizens are 49 percent less likely. The similarity between lower imprisonment and lower victimization supports the conclusion that immigrant communities are both less involved in crime and less exposed to it.

Stronger Cooperation With Police
The analysis also disputes the view that immigrants hesitate to contact law enforcement. Immigrants reported violent crimes 29 percent more often than US-born victims and contributed to investigations in an estimated 5.1 million cases. This level of cooperation, the study states, strengthens law enforcement and improves public safety.

Policy Implications
The findings suggest that immigration does not drive up crime rates. Instead, immigrant communities experience lower crime, report it more consistently, and assist in law enforcement efforts. The study adds a new dimension to the policy debate by showing that immigrants play a stabilizing role in public safety.