Immigrants are more likely to report crimes and less likely to be victims compared to U.S. citizens, according to new research based on the National Crime Victimization Survey.

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Perpetrators tend to victimize people similar to themselves. For example, white victims are most often victimized by white perpetrators, while Black victims are typically victimized by Black perpetrators.

Decades of research have shown that immigrants in the U.S. commit fewer crimes than the average U.S.-born citizen. The new study from 2017 to 2023 confirms they are also less likely to be victims of crime.

In sanctuary cities, local law enforcement is typically restricted from working directly with federal immigration agents. This aims to encourage immigrants—both documented and undocumented—to feel safe reporting crimes.

The Department of Homeland Security argues that unauthorized immigrants are criminals by default. However, the research suggests that the changing climate may reduce immigrant crime reporting, which would unnecessarily jeopardize public safety.

In a unique start to his ruling against President Donald Trump’s administration on September 30, U.S. District Court Judge William Young included a scanned handwritten note sent to his office. The note read: “Trump has pardons and tanks – what do you have?” At the top of Young’s opinion in AAUP v. Rubio, which ruled that Trump’s effort to deport foreign-born student protesters was unconstitutional.

October 8, 2025

From 2017 to 2023, immigrants reported over 5 million crimes and contributed to about 457,000 arrests. Immigrants were nearly 45% less likely than U.S.-born citizens to be victims of violent crimes.

The data indicate that immigrants help bring offenders to justice by reporting crimes more frequently.