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donald trump

A man being arrested by the police.

Immigration was one of the biggest issues in the 2024 presidential election, and it helped propel Donald Trump to his second presidential term. Last year saw a significant shift in public opinion on immigration, with 55% of Americans believing that immigration levels should be decreased, the highest number in nearly 20 years.

One of the biggest reasons that people fear immigrants, both legal and undocumented, is that they believe they commit a disproportionate number of crimes and pose a danger to natural-born citizens. Polls show that 47% of Americans believe that immigrants increase crime in the United States.

It’s no surprise that many feel this way, given the increasingly polarized political rhetoric surrounding immigrants. Over the past decade, prominent politicians have referred to immigrants as “invaders,” “animals,” and “rapists,” who shouldn't come to America. Some have even suggested that they are being allowed in the country to “replace” white Americans.

immigration, crime, arrests, ICE, undocumented people, immigration lawA man being arrested by ICE.via ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations/Flickr

In addition to the abrasive rhetoric, a lot of Americans have also developed negative attitudes towards immigration because they fear foreign-born people will change the culture and could pose a threat to their employment. A majority of Americans have also been alarmed by years of chaos at the southern border.

Immigration is a complex issue that evokes strong emotions, so we must distinguish fact from rhetoric to craft humane policies that support a system where immigrants and native-born Americans thrive together. That’s why a recent report from the Cato Institute, a libertarian-leaning public policy research organization, is so important. The report shows that the fear-mongering over immigrant crime is unfounded and that native-born Americans pose a much greater threat to their safety.

Do immigrants commit more crime?

The study, conducted by Michelangelo Landgrave and Alex Nowrasteh, utilized American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) from the US Census data from 2010 to 2023 to determine the crime rate per capita among undocumented immigrants, legal immigrants, and natural-born Americans. They found that undocumented people are incarcerated at about half the rate, per capita, than native-born Americans and that legal immigrants commit crimes at about half the rate of undocumented immigrants.

Here’s the Cato Institute's findings:

An estimated 1,617,197 native-born Americans, 67,813 illegal immigrants, and 58,515 legal immigrants were incarcerated in 2023. The incarceration rate for native-born Americans was 1,221 per 100,000; 613 per 100,000 for illegal immigrants; and 319 per 100,000 for legal immigrants in 2022 (Figure 1). Illegal immigrants are half as likely to be incarcerated as native-born Americans. Legal immigrants are 74 percent less likely to be incarcerated than natives. If native-born Americans were incarcerated at the same rate as illegal immigrants, about 806,000 fewer natives would be incarcerated. Conversely, if natives were incarcerated at the same rate as legal immigrants, about 1.2 million fewer native-born Americans would be incarcerated.


Further, the report shows that if you removed the people in ICE detention facilities on any given day, the undocumented crime rate would fall to 357 per 100,000 people, only 12% higher than that of legal immigrants.

Nowrasteh speculates that there are multiple reasons why undocumented immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than natural-born citizens. He suggests that they are more future-oriented because they faced huge risks in coming to the U.S. They also fear the consequences of committing crimes, including deportation, and often have stronger social bonds that discourage them from breaking the law.

The interesting change over the first 100 days of the new administration is that even though people were very concerned about the state of immigration, they are now turning against its aggressive and legally questionable deportation strategies. This points to a unique balance among Americans that shows they are concerned about immigration but also care for immigrants who are unfairly targeted by the system. Hopefully, Americans’ concern for immigrants’ welfare will be matched by a clearer understanding of the actual safety risks they pose, paving the way for policies that benefit everyone.

Several years ago, you wouldn't have known what QAnon was unless you spent a lot of time reading through comments on Twitter or frequented internet chat rooms. Now, with prominent Q adherents making headlines for storming the U.S. Capitol and elements of the QAnon worldview spilling into mainstream politics, the conspiracy theory/doomsday cult has become a household topic of conversation.

Many of us have watched helplessly as friends and family members fall down the rabbit hole, spewing strange ideas about Democrats and celebrities being pedophiles who torture children while Donald Trump leads a behind-the-scenes roundup of these evil Deep State actors. Perfectly intelligent people can be susceptible to conspiracy theories, no matter how insane, which makes it all the more frustrating.

A person who was a true believer in QAnon mythology (which you can read more about here) recently participated in an "Ask Me Anything" thread on Reddit, and what they shared about their experiences was eye-opening. The writer's Reddit handle is "diceblue," but for simplicity's sake we'll call them "DB."

A group of people belonging to a Qanon splinter group stand in a lineQanon splinter group | Marc Nozell | Flickrwww.flickr.com

DB explained that they weren't new to conspiracy theories when QAnon came on the scene. "I had been DEEP into conspiracy for about 8 years," they wrote. "Had very recently been down the ufo paranormal rabbit hole so when Q really took off midterm for trump I 'did my research' and fell right into it."

DB says they were a true believer until a couple of years ago when they had an experience that snapped them out of it:

"It was a couple of posts made by Q on the chans that seemed highly suspicious because of how ignorant they were of technology. Q posts often had weird syntax as a kind of code

    • Kind Of [writing like this] as if there was [a secret] in using brackets To Tell The Truth.

One morning Q claimed to have shut down 7 FBI super computers (named after the seven dwarves no less) via satellite hacking and all the rabid fans ate it up, claiming that "their internet was running a little bit faster)

FBI Super Computer ::SLEEPY::[[OFFLINE]]

alarm bells went off in my head because, come on, that's not how any of this works. Using elementary school syntax form To SpeLl a [[Secret Code ]] felt fishy, and claiming your email in rural Montana loaded faster because seven super computers got shut down by remote hacking was a bridge too far for me. I realized that most of the Q believers I had seen were Boomers with no idea how technology works or people my age with no idea how computers operate. That day, I Googled Q Anon Debunked and got out."


Episode 1 Mind Blown GIF by The OfficeGiphy

If simply Googling "QAnon Debunked" were enough to get QAnoners to deprogram themselves, why don't more of them do it? That's the tricky part. DB explains several elements to Q belief that keeps people in it. A big part of what primed DB to accept conspiracy thinking was a fundamentalist Christian upbringing.

"Theories about evil evolution, science denial and The End of The world rapture return of Christ stuff is all pretty crazy too," wrote DB, who moved to a more progressive version of Christianity after leaving QAnon behind. "There's a strong link between the two."

There's also some "perverse comfort" in conspiracy theories like QAnon, DB wrote, "because of the false sense of order and purpose it brings to the world. Either the world is a boardgame chess match between Good and Evil forces working behind the scenes, and you might be a pawn but at least you are on The Right Side or you admit that the world is a mess, nobody is in charge, there is no grand battle of good and evil behind the scenes and your life has less purpose and order than you hoped."

They also said overconfidence and arrogance play a big role in people staying in the QAnon world, as well as the belief that you are the one engaging in critical thinking while everyone else is a mindless sheep.

"At this point the problem isn't Q, it's gullible people who lack critical thinking skills and gain a massive ego boost in thinking they have secret in that the sheeple don't know," DB wrote.

"Worth noting, conspiracy thinking hooks the brain because it feels like critical thinking. Even though it isn't."

That piece right there really is key.

Turn The Page GIF by U.S. National ArchivesGiphy

As another user explained, the "do your own research" concept works to reinforce conspiracy theories while making people think they're coming to conclusions on their own, thanks to the way search engines and social media algorithms work:

"The idea behind the 'research' is that you are more likely to believe a source if YOU stumble upon it yourself vs if I tell you -go watch this video.

So if I tell you Hillary is a lizard person, watch this video ... It's easy to watch and dismiss me as a crazy that saw a dumb video. BUT ... if I tell you Hillary is a lizard person, but don't take my word for it - google it yourself.... and you come across hundreds of videos and articles about Hillary being a lizard person - that makes it all the more believable. Especially since there's so many articles saying Hillary is NOT a lizard person. If it wasn't true, why would people be making videos and articles 'debunking' it?

And the debunk articles are appearing higher in searches than the articles saying she is. Why is that? Is big tech in on it to ....and you see where this is going.

So their 'research' is just a way of manipulating people."

DB shared that it was hard to admit that they'd been played by a baseless conspiracy theory. "It's NOT easy realizing you've been conned, been a rube, been taken in," they wrote. "It was massively humbling to realize I'd been a sucker."

However, they are also surprised to see how much "crazier" QAnon has gotten, as when they left a couple of years ago they were "certain it would all be over soon." They weren't a "storm the Capitol" kind of believer, but rather a "snicker quietly to myself in my bedroom because those sheeple don't know the truth" type.

DB explained that they keep themselves away from the edge of the rabbit hole now by embracing doubt and different ideas and have added "some fucking worldview humility" to their life.

"The problem with fundamentalist religions, cults, and conspiracy theories is they all demonize doubt and are all so absolutely certain that they have the total truth of reality figured out. I hold my beliefs much more humbly now, I acknowledge that I could be wrong," they wrote.

"I read more widely and expose myself to the ideas of others, so that I don't end up in an echo chamber."

As for how to help others get out? DB said that arguing with a QAnon adherent, especially online, is a waste of time—and their simple explanation for why makes perfect sense:

"I don't think they can be reasoned out of beliefs they were not reasoned into."

There's no way to rationalize with irrational beliefs, unfortunately. DB suggests if you have loved ones who've fallen down the rabbit hole that you maybe try asking them questions using Street Epistemology techniques (which you can read about here), avoid confronting and trying to reason with them (because it's simply not effective), and continue loving them (while setting boundaries about what you're willing to listen to) so they have a stable place to land if and when they are able to extricate themselves.

You can read the entire Reddit thread of Q and A here.

As frustrating as it is to see people we know fall for kooky conspiracy theories, seeing that it's possible for someone to get out offers a ray of hope that they aren't necessarily gone for good.


This article originally appeared four years ago.

New citizen breaks down in tears over voting for first time

Every four years there's an election for president of the United States of America. Of course there are other elections taking place for congressional seats, the House of Representatives every two years, Senate every six years. Aside from federal level elections there are a lot of local elections constantly happening that directly impact the lives of American citizens within cities, counties and states.

Every election that takes place allows Americans to have a say in their daily lives by choosing who will directly govern them from city council to school boards, up to state legislatures and beyond. But not everyone living in America can participate in one of the greatest civic duties entrusted on the citizens of this country.

The ability to vote in elections is one thing that many Americans can take for granted but for Vivaldi, it's a privilege he's waited a long time to gain.


Vivaldi who goes by the name Whistling Vivaldi recently shared that he voted for the first time in an emotional video. The Haitian American man has clearly been crying before he turns on his camera to hit record, clearing his throat to say, "I'm going to try my best to get through this. I do not know if natural born citizens know what this feels like."

a hand holding a red button that says i vote Photo by Parker Johnson on Unsplash

Before he could finish his thought he immediately got choked up again. Vivaldi explains that his family came to America when he was a child in 1999 which was followed by several major events, including the towers of the World Trade Center coming down.

"There was nothing you could really do, things were just happening and you were trying to overcome. Be that 9/11, be that Katrina, be that Sandy Hook, be that the overturning of Roe, be the overturning of affirmative action, be that Citizens United, be that the Patriot Act, be that the housing crash, everything, right? These things were occurring, they were altering the trajectory of people's lives and if you weren't a citizen and you couldn't vote, you really just had to suck it up and take what you got," Vivaldi says.

polling station poster on clear glass door Photo by Elliott Stallion on Unsplash

Without a vote there aren't many options to affect change in your city, county or country. Running for office even at local levels are reserved for people who are registered to vote in most places. Outside of speaking at a city council or school board meeting, immigrants have no meaningful way to do their part to make their voices count, whether they're tax paying or not.

For Vivaldi, he says social media was his only way to get people to hear him in an attempt to affect change. That's when he's completely overcome with emotions while trying to finish his announcement.

red and blue building illustration Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

"After 20 years, I guess 26 years," the emotional man takes a deep breath. "I finally got to vote today, for the first time," Vivaldi couldn't stop the tears from flowing. "And maybe, just maybe, I was able to affect the trajectory of not just my own life but that of my family, that of millions, probably even billions of people around the world. Hopefully alleviate some sort of suffering."

Once Vivaldi composed himself he directed his attention to Americans who think their votes don't matter to remind them that it does matter.

"But there are people like my family that have left everything behind. That have spent thousands and traveled across oceans for just the maybe, just the possibility," and with that he encourages everyone to go out and vote.


The emotional video struck a lot of people including immigrants who were recently naturalized getting to vote for the first time this election cycle. Support for Vivaldi was overwhelmingly positive as his tears reminds others what some Americans take for granted.

"You are everything this country was meant to be. I felt this to my core. I cried with you. I am so glad you and your family are here. Embrace every emotion. Every moment. You are part of the change," one person praises.

A fellow immigrant shares, "after 19 years in America, I became a citizen 1 year ago. On Teusday[sic] I will be voting for the 1st time. I feel this deep."

Vote Voting GIF by The Drew Barrymore ShowGiphy

"THIS is what being American means. You’re amazing and I’m so happy you’re here and we should all be proud and grateful you and your family are here," another shares.

"You made me cry like a baby! Thank you for taking this right and responsibility so seriously. Congratulations," someone else chimes in.

"I feel this in my soul. I’m 47 just became a citizen last year and voted this week for the first time and it is an emotional experience. Thank you for sharing this message," another person shares in the emotion.

This year millions of people across America will be exercising their right to vote and for those recently naturalized participating for the first time, may you feel immensely proud of the ballot you cast.

Popular

People share the person they wish would actually run for president

Some popular names got people excited, but descriptions of the ideal president were most telling.

Jonny Kim, Dolly Parton and Jon Stewart were all suggested as POTUS candidates.

As we ramp up to the November 2024 U.S. presidential election, many Americans are feeling less-than-enthused about it. In our de facto two-party system, we will realistically have a Republican and Democrat candidate to choose from, and this year both of the top candidates are struggling to inspire a great deal of confidence or support.

While Joe Biden and Donald Trump will most likely be duking it out come November, people are imagining who they'd really like to see on the ballot. A Reddit thread asked, "Who do you WISH would run for President of America?" and the answers span from ideal descriptions to hilarious hypotheticals to actual people who have the knowledge, skills, experience and character to be a good presidential candidate.


Here's how people responded:

A good, smart middle-aged person

By far, the most popular answers for who they wish would run for president revolved around being a good, responsible, humble person who is somewhere in the middle-age range.

"I am in my 60’s. I would like a 40-60 year old who is honest, intelligent, moral, and has a sense of balance. Not a perfect person who never made a mistake, but someone who made mistakes and learned from them. Someone who has overcome hardship. This will allow them to have empathy for others. Someone that will make sure the tax burden is shared evenly, based on one’s income. Someone who can work with other countries and promote partnerships and be strong against corruption, violence, and war. Someone who understands they won’t ever fix all of societies problems, but strives to make our society better. Should I go on. Young people out there who want to make the world a better place, we need you to step up." – No-Grapefruit-83

"Some random 40-56 year old guy, who no one knows, has worked quietly in government for years, understands how it works and how to navigate it, with a smart wit and who just wants to help people.

And he has no desire to be POTUS because he'd rather do some nerdy hobby with his wife. But if elected he would feel he had to do the duty." – kirbyfox312

"This is so pie in the sky, but someone who loves this country but also understands we are a small part of a big world. Someone who is intelligent. Someone who is like in their 50's? (maybe) Someone who is not an asshat, but also not weak. Someone who reads. Someone who is willing to listen to all sides.

Is this too much'? Probably." – Catalyst886

Some fun suggestions

More than a few responses were pure comedy.

"With absolutely nothing to do with his politics, but senator Sheldon Whitehouse. I just want news anchors to have to say “president Whitehouse” with a straight face for 4-8 years as though it didn’t sound like something out of a cartoon." – nothomelandersacct

"The mayor of Idyllwild, CA, is a golden retriever named Max. I think it’s time for him to make the step up to the national stage." – piray003

"The guy who owns Arizona Ice Tea." – MumpsMoose

Although, that one may not be a joke, considering:

"I just saw an interview with him where the reporter asked him why not raise the prices, and his response was fantastic. Basically said they're doing well and have all their bases covered so why make it harder for struggling people to enjoy their products when there's no need? That alone gives me mad respect for him." – MindOverMedia

Personal recommendations

Some people offered up people they know personally who would make a great president.

"My stepdad. He has done truly impressive things for the university where he is president. He grew up dirt poor in eastern Kentucky. Worked his ass off to put himself and several siblings through college. He came from nothing to get a PhD. He is fair and kind and wise. He is extremely generous. As an example of one of the many reasons I find him qualified: He once sued the state of kentucky on the grounds of unconstitutional funding of public education (as a board of education member representing the poorest school in the state - with only a bachelor’s in accounting) and WON! He is an incredible human being and he is one of the only people I would trust to run this country." – Ok-Parfait-

"My 7th grade social studies teacher, he's tite." – luxury_yacht

"My mom. She’s awesome." – Miss_Medussa

A few fictional possibilities

If we're going to play an imaginary game, we might as well bring in some imaginary players, right?

"Aragorn, son of Arathorn." – Lord_Battlepants

"Pedro... I think he would get votes." – Pinorckle

"Josiah Bartlet." – VoteForLubo

"Leslie Knope. I feel like we would all be better off it she was in charge." – Odd_Mix_8675

"If I could Thanos snap my fingers and make Jean Luc Picard an American politician in the present day, I would have done it by now." – RiflemanLax

Real people who will likely never run

Lots of names were thrown out, but a few of the most popular ones were:

Jon Stewart

"He has expressed specific disinterest in being president.

Which makes him the ideal candidate." – DigNitty


Dolly Parton

"I especially love Dolly Parton's stance on early childhood literacy. She has worked to improve it." – leannmanderson


Jonny Kim

"Jonny Kim:

- Harvard doctor
- NASA astronaut
- Navy SEAL (Bronze Star and Silver Star: rescued wounded Iraqi soldiers in the face of enemy fire)
- Navy flight surgeon and naval aviator
- Grew up poor in south Los Angeles
- Dad ran a liquor store
- Mom was a substitute teacher
- He went to public school. He went to University of San Diego as an undergrad (summa cum laude in mathematics)
- He was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of his father
- The police killed his father in their attic
- Married with 3 kids
- is 40 years old

He understands poverty, being a victim, intimately familiar with police engagement in domestic situations, being a POC, going through the public school system, understands numbers, military, healthcare, and bleeding edge science. and invested in the future of our country with 3 young children."


Hank Green

"Hank Green, absolutely. We need a scientifically literate president." – WildLudicolo

And yes, some politicians, too

Many people did name some people in politics that they'd like to see run, with the most popular names being Secretary of Transportation Mayor Pete [Buttigieg], Kentucky governor Andy Beshear, Congresswoman Katie Porter, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro, California governor Gavin Newsom and Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth.

Each of those established politicians received multiple shout outs with people praising the qualities they felt they had that they felt would make them a solid candidate among the current crop of lawmakers.

Will any of these folks actually run for president in the future? It's entirely possible. As we've learned, when it comes to modern American politics, literally anything is possible.