The Myth of the Immigration Threat: A Close Examination of Illegal Immigration and Its Influence on Democracy

Photo Credit: Molly Adams, Wikimedia Commons By James S. Bridgeforth, Ph.D. Illegal immigration has been spoken of in the last few years as if it were an existential threat to American democracy, with a sense of urgency. Looking deeper, one perceives that this narrative has relatively little to do with reality and everything to do with a conservative agenda. As will be evidenced by data and statistics, illegal immigration offers minimal risks to our democratic institutions and considerable benefits to our economy and higher education landscape. The Decline in Illegal Border Crossings First, let’s take on the oft-cited claim that illegal immigration is at an all-time high. The facts tell a different story. According to the Department of Homeland Security, illegal border crossings have declined considerably over recent decades. In 2000, about 1.6 million unauthorized immigrants were caught at the southern border. Today, data suggests that illegal border crossings have steadily declined since the Trump administration to an all-time low in July 2024. This decrease reflects a myriad of factors, including stricter border enforcement and changing economic conditions in both the U.S. and home countries. Meanwhile, unauthorized immigration into the United States reached an all-time high of 12.2 million in...