DEBUNKED: 7 Myths About Immigration

Immigration sparks some of the fiercest arguments in American politics. In recent news, ICE crackdowns and controversial detention centers like Alligator Alcatraz have ignited protests in cities across the country, pushing the already heated immigration debate to a boiling point.

What adds fuel to the fire? Much of what we think we know about immigration is rooted in myths. But when we cut through the noise and look at evidence, history, and global context, the picture becomes less divisive and more practical.

Myth 1: “Conservatives Are Always Anti-Immigrant”

Reality: Broad majorities of Americans across the political spectrum support immigration, but they differ on the how.

Polls show bipartisan support for letting immigrants—even trusted undocumented immigrants—work, raise families, and contribute to society. Conservatives tend to emphasize law, order, and security, while liberals often focus on compassion and opportunity. Both sets of concerns are not mutually exclusive.

Myth 2: “Liberals Want Open Borders”

Reality: Most Democratic voters favor enforcement, too. This survey finds that Democrats were nearly as likely as Republicans to support enhanced security measures on the southern border. They just lean toward solutions that keep families together and expand legal pathways.

Framing immigration as “leftist” or “right-wing” misses the fact that most Americans share values like opportunity, safety, and family.

Myth 3: “Immigration Mainly Affects the U.S.”

Reality: Migration is a global phenomenon.

• Lots of people living in Europe weren’t born there. As of early 2024, nearly 45 million people living in the EU came from outside the region—that’s about 1 in 10 residents. And in 2023 alone, about 4.3 million people immigrated to the EU from non-EU countries (i.e. new arrivals) 
• African nations are grappling with regional conflicts that have displaced millions. Due to the war in Sudan, over 2.7 million Sudanese had fled to neighboring countries (Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Central African Republic) by late 2024. 
• As of 2025, the world has hosted nearly 7.9 million Venezuelan refugees or migrants due to the nation’s political and economic collapse, with the large majority (80%) in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The U.S. narrative often treats immigration as a uniquely American drama, but migration is a human story driven by war, poverty, persecution, and inequality. Recognizing the global context helps us avoid exceptionalism and see the patterns we share with the rest of the world.

Myth 4: “Immigrants Are More Likely to Commit Violent Crimes”

Reality: The opposite is true.

Study after study finds that both legal and undocumented immigrants commit crimes (violent and nonviolent) at lower rates than citizens born in America.

So why does the myth persist? Because crime stories sell. Media amplification, political rhetoric, and fear-based narratives are sticky. But the evidence is clear: immigration does not equal crime.

Myth 5: “Immigrants Don’t Contribute to the Economy”

Reality: Immigrants are an economic engine, though the impact varies by level.

Immigrant labor powers the agriculture, construction, and hospitality industries. Business leaders have long pushed for immigration reform because these industries literally can’t function without it—Trump has even backed off on deporting undocumented immigrants who work in these sectors. Meanwhile, skilled immigrants like doctors and scientists are helping to plug critical shortages in healthcare and technology.

At the federal level, immigrants, including the undocumented, tend to be a net positive. They pay billions in taxes, often into Social Security and Medicare programs that undocumented immigrants never draw from.

However, costs can be higher at the state and local levels since states pay for schooling, healthcare, and infrastructure without federal reimbursement. In some communities, these burdens offset the benefits of economic growth. 

Overall, the long-term picture shows that immigration slightly boosts GDP, entrepreneurship, and job growth. Economists generally agree that it’s neither an economic disaster nor a silver bullet—it’s a modest but real benefit that plays out unevenly across communities.

Myth 6: “Immigrants Refuse to Assimilate”

Reality: Every generation of immigrants eventually blends into American life.

Immigration in America follows a familiar rhythm. The first generation usually holds on tightly to their native language, food, and traditions. It’s what makes a new country feel like home. Their kids grow up in two worlds: speaking English at school, blending in with peers, while still carrying pieces of their parents’ culture at home. By the third generation, most of what remains are symbols—grandma’s recipes, a holiday celebration, maybe a faith tradition—woven into daily American life.

What’s striking is how every new wave of immigrants gets labeled as “too foreign” or “unable to fit in.” The Irish, Italians, Jews, Germans, and countless others were once cast that way. Yet within a few generations, the narrative flips—those same groups are remembered as part of the American story itself. The hostility fades, but the cultural richness stays behind, expanding what it means to be American.

Myth 7: “Immigration Reform Is Just About Compassion”

Reality: Compassion can guide policy. But reducing the issue to a simple “right vs. wrong” framing has risks.

Creating a stereotype that anyone who supports controlled immigration is malicious or uncaring is inaccurate and counterproductive. That kind of all-or-nothing rhetoric hardens divisions and discourages serious discussion.

Some critics argue that framing immigration as strictly a moral issue can also be exploited. Consider the asylum system. Asylum is a legal protection meant for people who genuinely fear persecution in their home countries. But critics say that some migrants have taken advantage of America’s compassion, using false asylum claims as a strategy to gain entry and stay in the U.S. The number of migrants claiming asylum exploded from 89,000 in 2021 to 893,000 in 2024. The Department of Homeland Security warned in 2021 that smugglers were essentially telling migrants, “Just ask for asylum and you’ll be allowed in,” gaming a system already jammed with backlogs. That doesn’t mean most migrants are lying—many are running from very real dangers—but it does mean the system can be misused when the rules (and the rhetoric) don’t match today’s reality.

Why Debunking These Myths Matters

Myths fuel fear and polarization. They make it harder to find real solutions that balance fairness, safety, resources, and opportunity.

Zoom out, and the story of immigration isn’t just about policy fights. It’s about people—families seeking safety, workers chasing opportunity, communities adapting and growing. From Anne Frank’s desperate search for refuge to modern-day asylum seekers, immigration has always been about human survival and hope.

If we want real solutions, we need to stop fighting caricatures and start building pragmatic policies rooted in shared values. Immigration isn’t a left vs. right issue. It’s a human one.

—Alex Buscemi (abuscemi@buildersmovement.org)