Quiz: Do You Know the Facts About U.S. Immigration?

The correct answer is: 14th Amendment

Millions of American children have parents who are undocumented immigrants. Those born in the United States are known as “birthright citizens” and are guaranteed the protections under the law afforded all citizens.  On the campaign trail this year, immigration opponents have called for the elimination of birthright citizenship and the immediate deportation of these children.  

Mass deportation would be unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment, which first guaranteed citizenship for slaves in 1868. It states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” 

The correct answer is: They have a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

The U.S. grants asylum to those who come here seeking freedom from violent oppression and the opportunity for a fresh start in a more tolerant land. Those granted asylum can apply for permanent residency, gain a pathway to citizenship, and apply for protections for their children and families.

Applying for asylum is a difficult, complex, and lengthy process that can involve multiple government agencies. It’s usually undertaken by people who have faced recent traumas both in their countries of origin and on impossibly dangerous journeys to reach the U.S. The outcome is far from guaranteed, and those awaiting judgement often live in a state of poverty, fear, and uncertainty.  

Many advocates for stricter border control seek to make the criteria and process for gaining asylum even more challenging.

The correct answer is: 4 years

In 2024 the wait time for asylum seekers to be granted hearings jumped to an average of four years and can often take six to eight years. As humanitarian crises have caused the number of applicants to increase, agency resources have not kept pace, and the process has become even more complicated, furthering delays. Those waiting are forced to live in limbo: they can neither return to a home country where their lives are threatened, nor find stability and security with their families in the United States.  

The correct answer is: Immigrants often complement native-born workers by filling gaps in the labor market and driving economic growth, particularly in high-skilled and innovation sectors.

The United States attracts many of the best and the brightest immigrants from all over the world for high-skilled and innovation work including science, tech, engineering and medicine. In addition, immigrants often compliment rather than compete in professions sought by native-born Americans. Many labor in jobs more prone to cause injury and fatalities, in grueling and harsh conditions, that non-immigrant workers are unwilling to endure. For instance, the undocumented make up much of the seafood-processing sector. Employers often struggle to fill the "smelly, slimy, grimy, chilly, monotonous job” of “skinning, deboning and cutting fish”. 

The correct answer is: 60% less likely

A recent study analyzing 150 years of U.S. census data finds that immigrants have not been incarcerated at a higher rate than U.S.-born individuals. The gap has widened since 1960: immigrants today are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than those born in the United States. 

Furthermore, crime rates actually decreased as immigration grew in 200 U.S. cities from 1970 to 2016.

The correct answer is: Fewer than 100

Far fewer actually, as reported by NHPR, “In the past year, New Hampshire’s northern border has come under the scrutiny of state politicians who claim a reported increase in crossings there requires more resources. But new data from Customs and Border Protection obtained by the ACLU of New Hampshire shows there were 21 encounters or apprehensions between October 2022 and December 2023.”

While border security hawks have described a threat along the 58 miles that constitute New Hampshire’s northern border with Canada, spending millions of dollars on new enforcement measures and proposing laws to allow non-immigration officials to act as deputized border patrol agents, there is no evidence of a problem – let alone a growing one.

“Last fall, without state-specific data of illegal crossings publicly available, Gov. Chris Sununu dedicated $1.4 million to purchase unspecified equipment and increase police patrols within 25 miles of the border.” 

“State politicians used data for the 295 border miles of the Swanton Sector, which comprises part of New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont to justify the so-called Northern Border Alliance.” 

The correct answer is: U.S. citizens smuggling fentanyl through legal ports of entry

Many politicians and commentators blame the opioid epidemic on the increasing number of immigrants to the United States. Yet, the vast majority of fentanyl smuggled into the United States is not snuck in by illegal immigrants. It does not enter through tunnels or uncharted border crossings, but comes through legal ports of entry, primarily hidden in vehicles like truck beds filled with fruits and vegetables. The Washington Post reports that “baby-blue fentanyl pills [have been seized from] inside seat cushions, car batteries, even hollowed-out bicycle frames.” U.S. citizens are often recruited by drug cartels to transport the drugs because they are less likely to raise suspicion when crossing the border. 

According to the New Hampshire Bulletin, “In 2022, U.S. Sentencing Commission data showed that Americans accounted for nearly 90 percent of convicted fentanyl drug traffickers.” 

The correct answer is: Fewer than fifty 

It is illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections and strong safeguards are in place. Multiple systems, such as verification at registration and severe penalties for fraud, act as deterrents. Claims about noncitizens’ voting in large numbers have been consistently debunked by experts and watchdog groups. 

There is no substantial evidence to suggest that even 1% of non-citizens vote in U.S. federal elections. Investigations into the 2020 election found vanishingly few cases reported. 

Research by the Brennan Center for Justice looked at 42 jurisdictions in the 2016 election and reported that of 23.5 million ballots cast, election officials only found about 30 cases of potential noncitizen voting that were referred for prosecution or further investigation —0.0001% of the vote. 

More recent investigations have likewise shown no evidence of widespread noncitizen voting. A Georgia audit of its voter rolls conducted this year found fewer than 2,000 instances of noncitizens attempting to register to vote over the last 25 years, none of which succeeded. Millions of new Georgia voters registered during that time period.

The correct answer is: It would reduce the construction workforce, worsening the housing shortage and limiting the availability of affordable housing.

Immigrants make up a substantial portion of the construction workforce in the U.S., particularly in residential construction. New research has found that reducing immigration has likely shrunk the labor pool in this sector. Counties with far higher immigration restrictions have “experience[d] large and persistent reductions in residential homebuilding, and increases in home prices.”  

While fewer immigrants may decrease demand for housing, the loss in the number of newly constructed homes can, overall, strain the ability of Americans to find affordable homes.  

The correct answer is: All of the above

Refugees contribute to the U.S. economy by generating billions of dollars in income. They also demonstrate strong entrepreneurial spirit with high rates of business ownership, citizenship, and homeownership. Refugees have revitalized communities across the country, helping stimulate economic and social progress.

If the U.S. refugee program was suspended, as has been threatened on the campaign trail, the U.S. would not only be abandoning humanitarian commitments and values, but also threatening the economy.