Fear influences attitudes in national immigration debate

A recent campaign ad supporting Arizona Sen. John McCain's bid for re-election features a chat with a uniformed police officer who complains about the trouble caused by the rise of illegal immigration.

However, "If you want to find a safe city," criminologist Jack Levin of Northeastern University said, "first determine the size of the immigrant population." Contrary to the rhetoric heard everywhere in the immigration debate, he consistently found crime rates plummet as Hispanics move in.

In 2006, Hazleton was alarmed by rumors that a community of Spanish-speaking workers drawn to the area by a meatpacking plant were threatening to unleash a reign of terror on law-abiding residents.

Ironically, a follow-up survey determined that the core values of Latino newcomers were identical to those of the residents who had responded so negatively to their arrival.

Fear influences attitudes in national immigration debate

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