Cinco de Mayo

A brief discussion on the Trump administration’s myths about immigrants

By: Austin Abbring

May 17, 2026

As you may be enjoying a celebration of Mexican culture in whichever capacity you see fit here in the states, take pause and remember the narrative Donald Trump and his administration(s) have been pushing about immigrants from our southern border, and Hispanic immigrants in general. For those reading this who voted for Donald Trump and have been spoon-fed a false narrative of immigrants, please consider the following:

1) Mexico is not sending its “worst”. Not all Mexican immigrants are drug dealers, rapists, or murderers as Donald Trump has been proclaiming for a decade. Immigrants as a whole are significantly less likely to commit crimes or be incarcerated when compared to native-born U.S. citizens. In fact, undocumented immigrants alone are roughly 50% percent less likely to commit a violent crime. A study by the American Immigration Council found that, between 1980 and 2022, the immigrant population doubled from 6.2% to 13.9% while the total crime rate in the U.S. dropped by around 60% during the same period. (American Immigration Council) 

2) Mexico is not “emptying its insane asylums” into the United States. Donald Trump does not have even the slightest inclination as to the difference between “insane asylums” and the asylum-seeking process. In fact, there is no comparison to be had; I just genuinely believe he is perturbed on this front. Individuals can seek asylum or temporary protected status in the United States for numerous reasons, including religious, racial, political, or social persecution, wars, and environmental catastrophes. There is a codified process that an individual follows before becoming a citizen, should they choose to become one. This is in no way, shape, or form the same thing as an individual in an “insane asylum”, and no country is emptying “inmates” from any such facility.  

3) Immigrants, both legal and undocumented, are not a strain on society. Undocumented immigrants cannot vote, do not receive social benefits (Medicaid/Medicare, Section 8 housing, SNAP EBT, Social Security, et cetera) at the federal level, and do not take jobs. In fact, this country desperately needs more labor as birth rates have slowed largely due to cost-of-living concerns. Undocumented immigrants pay billions of dollars in taxes every single year. They prop up programs such as Social Security and Medicaid and do not receive any of these benefits.

I would advocate for undocumented immigrants to be paid fair wages and receive federal benefits, but this is the reality as it stands. The people who employ undocumented labor never seem to receive comparable social stigma. As Donald Trump and Republicans have pushed the narrative of immigrants being economic burdens, consider that immigrants are 80 percent more likely to start a business than natural-born citizens. Mexican immigrants in particular account for a little over one in every twenty-five small businesses in the country. 

America is a nation of immigrants. It always has been and always will be. We are all the descendants and beneficiaries of that axiom. That is the beauty of this country and what used to drive people to dream of a life in the United States. You are supposed to be the best version of yourself in this country, however you express your identity. There are endless opportunities. We must not turn our backs on our immigrant neighbors, but instead stand up and fight alongside our brothers and sisters as they face a barrage of vitriol and misinformation from this Republican presidency.