BEWARE: Myths that Scapegoat Immigrants and Divide Us from Each Other
1
MYTH: “It is easy to immigrate here legally. Why don’t “illegal” immigrants just get in line?
FACT: It is very difficult to immigrate legally to the United States. In fact, the Trump regime is rapidly removing people’s lawful status and making them “illegal” and thus deportable.
Authorized immigration is reserved mostly for:
- family reunification (you have to have a qualified family member sponsor you and wait lists exceed 10 years)
- those in high-skilled occupations with recognized credentials,
- those under refugee, asylum, or humanitarian protection,
- the very wealthy.
This leaves most people without any lawful way to live and work in the US.
Contrary to international Conventions, to which the US is a party, the Trump regime has mostly shut down the refugee, asylum, and humanitarian protection system for almost everyone, except White South Africans. The US refugee resettlement program is largely frozen (except White South Africans). Both the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and the Humanitarian parole programs have largely been terminated or restricted. As of August 2026, the nationals of 11 nation-states have had their TPS designations terminated. This amounts to over 1 million people who were once “lawful” and are now deportable. See Migration Policy Institute
2
MYTH: Birthright Citizenship (i.e. the 14 th Amendment of the US Constitution) creates unauthorized immigration as people come to have “anchor babies.”
FACT: The instant-citizenship through an “anchor baby” is a lie: it takes 20+ years to gain legal status if one has a child in the US. One can only apply through that child when that child is an adult. After the child applies, typically, years pass while the application is considered – with no guarantee that legal status will be approved. The trump regime ended the policy that the undocumented parents of immigrant children who enlisted in our armed services would be allowed to stay in the USA while their children tried to get their status adjusted. Now those parents are being deported. See Human Rights Watch
3
MYTH: “Immigrants are a major source of crime.”
FACT: Immigrants, whether they are naturalized citizens, permanent residents, or unauthorized immigrants, are less likely to be incarcerated in prisons, convicted of crimes, or arrested than US citizens. Statistics show that high rates of immigration are associated with lower rates of both violent and property crime. See American Immigration Council
4
MYTH: “Immigrants pose a unique risk today because of terrorism.”
FACT: As with crime, the data shows that most terrorist activity is conducted by U.S. citizens, not immigrants. In fact, terrorism experts identify “domestic terrorism” by white male far-right groups to be the greatest danger. See Carnegie Corporation of New York and Southern Poverty Law Center
5
MYTH: “The worst” people from other countries are coming to the US.
FACT: Immigrants come to this country for a few primary reasons: to work, to be reunited with family members (many of whom are disqualified from sponsoring them), or to escape a dangerous situation. Most are couples, families with children, and workers without whom the economy would shut down. Immigrants create more jobs in the US economy, use less social services than US citizens, are generally better educated than US citizens, and start more new businesses – small and Fortune 500 firms – than US citizens. See: American Immigration Council
6
MYTH: Things are better in Hawai‘i. Police Departments across Hawai‘i are not cooperating with ICE to raid homes, schools, workplaces, or disappearances off our streets.
FACT: Since Trump took power on January 20, 2025, there has been a 705% increase in the number of people being arrested by ICE in Hawai‘i. Given the $240 billion that Trump has given DHS to carry out his “Mass Deportations” terror campaign, it is expected that the numbers will increase. Many of us worked long and hard to pass HI state legislation barring local law enforcement agents from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement activities (by ICE or other federal agencies). However, this does not prevent federal immigration agents from terrorizing our communities.
- Before Trump / 19 (8-8–2024 to 1-19–2025)
- Since Trump / 153 (1-24-2025 to 6-10–2025)
- Source: Data obtained through FOIA lawsuits by UCLA Center for Immigration Law and Policy