DigiMantra, Author at Stories-of-Immigrants

7 Immigration Myths Debunked: What the Data Really Shows

In today’s heated political climate, immigration has become one of the most misunderstood issues in America. Fear-driven narratives and sensationalized media coverage have created a landscape where myths often overshadow facts. These misconceptions don’t just shape public opinion—they influence policies that affect millions of lives.

Today, we’re setting the record straight. Using data from federal agencies, academic research, and nonpartisan organizations, we’ll debunk seven of the most persistent myths about immigration in America. The truth might surprise you.

Myth #1: Undocumented Immigrants Are Eligible for Federal Health Care Programs and Benefits

The Reality: Federal law limits undocumented immigrants to emergency care only. They cannot access Medicaid, Medicare, or ACA marketplace plans.

This is perhaps one of the most widespread misconceptions about immigration. Federal law explicitly excludes undocumented immigrants from nearly all public health benefits. They cannot access:

Medicaid (except for emergency services)
Medicare
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans
Premium tax credits or subsidies
Long-term care under any federally funded program

Even if an undocumented person wants to pay for coverage themselves, they are legally barred from purchasing insurance through the ACA marketplace.

What Can They Access?

The limited options available include:

Emergency medical care: Federal law requires hospitals to treat anyone in an emergency, regardless of immigration status
Community health centers: Often offering services on a sliding scale without asking for immigration status
Public health services: For infectious diseases, COVID-19, and vaccinations to protect public health
School-based health services for children in many states

The Numbers Tell a Different Story

According to the Congressional Budget Office and the National Academy of Sciences:

Emergency care for uninsured immigrants costs about $4.3 billion annually
That’s less than 2% of the $4.3 trillion spent annually on U.S. healthcare
Meanwhile, undocumented immigrants contribute an estimated $35 billion annually in taxes

The irony? Undocumented immigrants are paying into a healthcare system they’re largely excluded from.

Myth #2: Most Immigrants Are Coming to the United States Illegally

The Reality: Approximately 77% of all immigrants in the U.S. are here legally. Among the undocumented population, 40-45% entered legally with visas and overstayed.

This myth stems from sensationalized imagery of border crossings that dominate news cycles. But the data paints a very different picture.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Pew Research Center:

77% of all immigrants living in the U.S. are here legally, including:
- Lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
- Naturalized citizens
- Refugees and asylum seekers
- Visa holders (students, workers, etc.)
Undocumented immigrants make up about 23% of the total immigrant population

The Visa Overstay Reality

Here’s what most people don’t realize: roughly 40% to 45% of undocumented immigrants didn’t cross a border illegally at all. They entered with valid visas for tourism, work, or study—and overstayed. This includes:

Students who graduated but couldn’t secure work visas
Tourists who found jobs and stayed
Workers whose visas expired during employment

Focusing solely on border security while ignoring visa overstays addresses less than half the issue—and perpetuates harmful stereotypes about how undocumented immigrants arrive.

Myth #3: Undocumented Immigrants Do Not Pay Any Taxes

The Reality: Undocumented immigrants contribute billions in taxes annually, including $12 billion to Social Security and $3 billion to Medicare—programs they cannot access.

This myth couldn’t be further from the truth. Many undocumented immigrants pay taxes using Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs), issued by the IRS to people who aren’t eligible for Social Security numbers but earn income in the U.S.

The Tax Contributions No One Talks About

According to the Social Security Administration and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (2017):

$12 billion contributed annually to Social Security
$3 billion contributed annually to Medicare
$11.74 billion paid in state and local taxes

Why do they pay taxes voluntarily? Many reasons:

To follow the law
To maintain records for future immigration processes
To contribute to their communities
Because it’s simply the right thing to do

The Ultimate Irony

These workers are funding critical public systems they’re barred from accessing:

They can’t collect Social Security benefits
They can’t use Medicare
They can’t access most public assistance

The Social Security Administration estimates that unauthorized workers have contributed hundreds of billions to the trust fund over the years, helping keep it solvent for American retirees.

Myth #4: Undocumented Immigrants Are Dangerous Criminals

The Reality: Multiple studies show undocumented immigrants commit crimes at 25-50% lower rates than native-born citizens.

This harmful stereotype has been thoroughly debunked by research from across the political spectrum:

A 2020 Cato Institute study found undocumented immigrants have 25% to 50% lower criminal conviction rates than native-born citizens
Research in the American Economic Journal (2020) found that increases in unauthorized immigration did not lead to increases in violent or property crimes
FBI Uniform Crime Reports consistently show no link between higher undocumented populations and crime spikes

Why the Lower Crime Rates?

The data makes sense when you consider the reality of undocumented life:

Most live quietly and avoid any interaction with law enforcement
They face deportation for even minor infractions
Their primary goals are work, family, and stability—not crime

The Danger of This Myth

When isolated incidents are treated as the rule rather than the exception, it:

Fuels racial profiling and hate crimes
Justifies inhumane detention practices
Destroys community trust in law enforcement
Paints hardworking families as threats

Myth #5: ICE Only Goes After Dangerous Criminals

The Reality: In 2020, 64% of ICE arrests involved people with only traffic violations or no criminal record at all. In February 2025, 41% of new detainees had no criminal convictions or pending charges.

Despite official rhetoric about targeting “dangerous criminals,” ICE’s own data tells a different story:

The Numbers Don’t Lie

According to ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Report and recent NBC News data:

In 2019, 57% of ICE arrests had no criminal convictions
In 2020, 64% had only traffic violations or no record at all
In February 2025, 41% of new ICE detainees had no criminal convictions or pending charges
On a single day in January 2025, ICE made 1,179 arrests—nearly half (566 people) had not committed any crimes

The Human Cost

Behind these statistics are real stories:

Parents taken from their children during school drop-offs
Long-time community members deported for decades-old misdemeanors
Domestic violence survivors arrested at courthouses
DACA recipients swept up in raids meant for others

These aren’t “dangerous criminals”—they’re neighbors, coworkers, students, and community members.

Myth #6: Immigrants Do Not Want to Learn English

The Reality: ESL programs have 1.5+ year waiting lists. By the second generation, 88% of immigrants speak English proficiently.

This myth ignores a simple truth: the vast majority of immigrants desperately want to learn English. The barrier isn’t motivation—it’s access.

The Access Crisis

According to the U.S. Department of Education:

English as a Second Language (ESL) classes have waiting lists over 1.5 years long
Programs are chronically underfunded and understaffed
59% of elementary schools and 69% of high schools report difficulty filling ESL teaching positions

Programs across the country maintain active waitlists:

Austin Community College: “Classes are limited, and students must join the waitlist”
City College of New York: “Due to high volume of applicants, space is limited”

Additional Barriers

Beyond waitlists, immigrants face:

Long work hours (often multiple jobs)
Lack of transportation
No childcare during class times
Classes scheduled during work hours

The Biological Reality

MIT research shows grammar-learning ability drops significantly after age 17-18. Most immigrants arrive as adults, facing biological constraints on language acquisition that children don’t experience. Native-like fluency becomes nearly impossible if learning starts after age 10.

Success Despite Obstacles

Even with these challenges, language acquisition happens rapidly:

88% of second-generation immigrants speak English proficiently
By the third generation, English is almost always the primary language
This mirrors every major immigrant wave in American history

Myth #7: If You Have a Pending Immigration Case, ICE Will Not Arrest You

The Reality: ICE can arrest anyone with a removal order regardless of pending appeals, asylum cases, or other applications. In 2020, 25% of ICE arrests involved people with pending cases.

This dangerous misconception can lead to devastating consequences. Having a pending immigration case provides no legal immunity from detention or deportation.

The Legal Reality

ICE has the authority to:

Execute removal orders at any time
Arrest individuals with pending appeals
Detain people with active asylum applications
Take action regardless of ongoing court processes

The Data

According to TRAC Immigration and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (2020):

25% of ICE arrests involved people with pending cases or recent court appearances
One in four people arrested by ICE were actively engaged in the legal process

Why This Myth Is Dangerous

Believing pending cases offer protection can lead to:

Reduced vigilance around enforcement actions
Missed opportunities to prepare legal defenses
Failure to notify loved ones or attorneys
Sudden detention without warning or preparation

Moving Forward: From Myths to Truth

These seven myths don’t just misrepresent reality—they actively harm our communities and our nation. They fuel fear, justify cruel policies, and prevent us from addressing immigration with the nuance and humanity it deserves.

The data is clear: immigrants—documented and undocumented—contribute far more than they take. They pay billions in taxes, commit fewer crimes, desperately want to learn English, and navigate a system that often works against them.

As we face difficult times ahead for immigrant communities, it’s more important than ever to ground our conversations and policies in facts, not fear. The truth is that immigrants aren’t the threat they’re made out to be—they’re our neighbors, coworkers, and fellow community members trying to build better lives for their families.

The real question isn’t whether these myths are true—we’ve shown they’re not. The question is: What will we do with this knowledge? Will we continue to let fear and misinformation guide our policies, or will we choose compassion, facts, and justice?