XPost: alt.politics.immigration, alt.politics.conservative   
      
   https://apnews.com/article/immigration-jeff-sessions-arizona-crime-   
   ebfcdaf2e4c4b0bd2d70232e53234491   
      
   The crime rate among illegal immigrants in Arizona is twice that of   
   other residents, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Friday, citing a   
   new report based on conviction data.   
      
   The report, from the Crime Prevention Research Center, used a   
   previously untapped set of data from Arizona that detailed criminal   
   convictions and found that illegal immigrants between 15 and 35 are   
   less than 3 percent of the state’s population, but nearly 8 percent   
   of its prison population.   
      
   And the crimes they were convicted of were, on the whole, more   
   serious, said John R. Lott Jr., the report’s author and president of   
   the research center.   
      
   His findings also challenge the general narrative that immigrants   
   commit fewer crimes. Those past studies usually don’t look at legal   
   versus illegal populations, Mr. Lott said.   
      
   Mr. Lott said the Arizona data is able to peek behind that curtain,   
   and the differences between the populations were stark.   
      
   “There appears to be a huge difference between the two groups,” Mr.   
   Lott said. “The type of person who goes through the process to   
   legally immigrate in the United States appears to be very law-abiding   
   versus even the U.S.-born population. The reverse is true for   
   undocumented immigrants they are committing crimes, and more serious   
   crimes.”   
      
   Among nearly 4,000 first- and second-degree murder convictions,   
   undocumented immigrants accounted for nearly 13 percent significantly   
   higher than their percentage of the population. Legal immigrants, by   
   contrast, were less than 1 percent of convicts. Native-born made up   
   the rest.   
      
   Undocumented immigrants also accounted for five times the rate of   
   convictions for money laundering and kidnapping, and were three times   
   more likely to be convicted of drive-by shootings.   
      
   The data covered from 1985 to 2017. For his data purposes, Mr. Lott   
   defined undocumented immigrants as those who weren’t U.S. citizens or   
   green card holders, signaling permanent residency.   
      
   He said the crime rates of the undocumented who were ages 18 to 35   
   was particularly important, given the ongoing debate over legalizing   
   illegal immigrant “Dreamers.” He said the Arizona data showed that   
   population had crime rates 250 percent higher than their share of the   
   population would have predicted.   
      
   The Washington Times had asked several experts to look at Mr. Lott’s   
   research paper but some didn’t respond, while one said he was unable   
   to get Mr. Lott’s data and had questions about Mr. Lott’s methodology.   
      
   Mr. Lott said told The Times that the data belonged to Arizona and   
   his agreement was that he wouldn’t give out the raw data without   
   their approval.   
      
   Mr. Sessions’ citation of the data Friday inserted the information   
   directly into the ongoing immigration debate.   
      
   “They’re more likely to be convicted of sexual assault, robbery, and   
   driving under the influence. They’re more than twice as likely to be   
   convicted of murder,” Mr. Sessions said in remarks prepared for a   
   speech in Norfolk, Virginia.   
      
   He continued: “Tens of thousands of crimes have been committed in   
   this country that would never have happened if our immigration laws   
   were enforced and respected like they ought to be.”   
      
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