Sharp increase in Latino offenders sentenced for immigration crimes [UPDATED]

Driven by a sharp growth in illegal immigration and tougher enforcement, Latinos accounted for 40% of all sentenced federal offenders in 2007, according to a new study.

Among those sentenced for immigration offenses in 2007, 80% were Latino, according to the study by the Pew Hispanic Center.

Immigration offenses represented nearly one-quarter of all federal convictions during the same period, up from just 7% in 1991, the study found.

Fully 75% of Latino offenders sentenced for immigration crimes in 2007 were convicted of entering the U.S. unlawfully or residing in the country without authorization.

“There was a very sharp rise of immigration offenses as a share of all offenses,” said Paul Taylor Lopez, director of the Pew Hispanic Center.

Between 1991 and 2007, enforcement of federal immigration laws became a growing priority in response to the rise in illegal immigration.

In 1991, three times as many Latinos were sentenced in federal courts for drug crimes, 60%, as for immigration crimes, 20%, according to the report.

By 2007, that pattern had reversed. Among Latino offenders sentenced in federal courts, 48% were sentenced for immigration offenses and 37% for a drug offense.

-- Anna Gorman

Updated at 11:50 a.m.: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Paul Taylor Lopez was director of the Pew Hispanic Center. Paul Taylor is vice president of the Pew Hispanic Center.

Comments

[Pete]

Hmmmm, so illegal immigration and crime go hand in hand? Who knew?

[over it]

Aw and just think -- our crime would be down by 40% if we did something about illegal immigration. Oh well. I guess we'd rather keep paying for them in more ways than one than do something about it.

[John Doe]

They are actually enforcing the law?!? What a total shocker. I am glad to hear that illegal latinos are now being prosecuted. They are breaking the law and to think that this country will reward them by making them citizens when they did not go through the proper channels. That study is not alarming at all.

[John Doe]

The true thing is that businesses that hire illegals should be taken to court. They are using our resources. What? Do we look like we just hand out things to illegals for free?

[Francisco Cardenas]

What a waste of taxpayer dollars. Let's give them work permits and collect employment taxes!!

[Joe Joe]

You people are racist.. they work the jobs no one want to work for free. Let them be.

[Robert Gaspar]

I appreciate that the LA Times is willing to use the term ILLEGAL immigrants instead of "undocumented workers", because while I empathize for their plight to a certain degree, they are still breaking the law, and I feel as bad for them as I might a legal citizen who committed a crime. Yes, it's a shame that life is hard for you, but that does not and HAS NEVER EVER justified breaking the law. Let's recognize that we can be non-racist and still want the laws that protect our American society from being violated.

[steve rodriguez]

They take the jobs nobody wants, like construction jobs that pay $20 an hour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dina]

Wow, good news

[Aaron]

Why is this shocking? Aren't the overwhelming majority of illegals Latino? I know there are are Chinese, Vietnames, polish ... illegals but this stat is far from surprising.

[steve rodriguez]

There's 10 times more Latinos in LA than Chinese, Vietnamese or Poles!!!!!

[Diaz]

The law is the law in every country and it should be enforced, no problem there. The only thing that irritates me is when a racist sees me in the street and automatically assumes I'm in the country illegally or that I'm Mexican just because I'm brown colored. I am an American period, America is not just for whites, its for everyone.

[John Hannock]

All of you complaining about laws not being enforced with immigration should try to be part of the solution instead of just complaining about it. Why not try emailing your senator and then get involved by doing some sort of volunteer work? Last time I checked we were living in a democracy so why not do something about it? Hold your federal, state, local government officials accountable.

[Rattstone]

You people are racist.. they work the jobs no one want to work for free. Let them be.

Posted by: Joe Joe
---------------------------------------------------------------

Is that right Joe Joe ? Why don't you tell that to the American Carpenters, Painters, Dozer Drivers, Construction Workers, Cooks, Painters, Truck Drivers, Roofers, Landscapers and Mechanics who have lost their jobs to Illegal Immigrants.

Seems to me that California could resolve this Financial Issue if they ran all the illegals back acrosss the Border. Nothing short of the Alamo is gona fix this invasion.

[oh no!]

we need more illegals, and we need then NOW!!!

[Marcos El Malo]

@over it:

Learn to do basic math. Latinos accounted for 40% of all sentenced federal offenders in 2007. 48% were sentenced for immigration offenses. That's 19.2% of federal crime that was due to Latino immigration offenses.

Perhaps you should be blaming your poor math skills on Latinos or illegal immigrants.

[Jack]

Illegal immigrant is a quagmire. One can not fault the illegals for trying to improve their lives. Mexico has become extremely dangerous.

But it is the responsibility of the federal government to secure our borders against drugs, criminals, and terrorists. The Bush administration shirked its responsibilities while globalization caused the collapse of much of Northern Mexico's industrial center.

Nature abhors a vacuum and the drug cartels moved in and people decided it was time to get out of Mexico. Since the number of murders along both sides of the border by the cartels is also spiking it behooves the Obama administration to try and limit illegal immigration. American ciizens are being murdered by these gangsters.

So far the Mexican army has been unable to defeat these people. However, it is hopeful that the problem can at least be contained. The other problem is whether the cartels could actually cause the collapse of the Mexcian government. That seems even more omnious.

[Biff]

It never fails, every time the Los Angeles Times writes a story regarding immigration (legal or illegal or undocumented immigrants) all the racist start posting their comments.

Remember we are all immigrants in this country regards of one's status or from what border, Ellis Island or landed on Plymouth Rock your ancestors came from. I would love to see these folks publicly state their posted comments...they are cowards who hide behind the web.

I am sure our new President will address this issue in a humane manner once our economy goes in the right direction. Remember the new political and purchasing power the Latino community have in the U.S.A. It might just save your job too.

Saludos....

[Jack]

According to the Heritage Foundation Illegals cost 17,000 per person per year. Medicaid cost 1,000 dollars a month per child. Yes they work for low wages but their total cost is quite high. They need health care and their children actually need more social services that average due to their parents inability to speak English.

[Maria Isabel Elgueta]

Latino labor force is invaluable in the US economy; now that things are critical iimmigrants are targeted; the worst is that other groups don't suffer the same ill treatment that Latinos do.
Talking about racial profiling....
Just think how entire families are affected!

[Bobby]

Well, come on now, who is kidding who here? When you have an ex-gangbanger who is Mayor of the second largest city in the U.S.---a guy who OPENLY AND UNASHAMEDLY supports illegal alien foreign nationals from his beloved Mexico, (he can't visit there enough), THEN WHAT WOULD RATIONAL PEOPLE EXPECT--THAT THE LAW IS GOING TO BE RESPECTED. Los Angeles has a choice to vote for a guy called Walter Moore, who would probably be the most educated Mayor, if elected, in L.A.'s history, but it won't happen. You see most of the voters in L.A. are idiotic leftists, who still can't understand that their open border policies have left the State Denuded, Bankrupt, Destitute, etc. and the other people in Los Angeles are the kind that can only sign their names with an X. Yes, Villaraigosa will win. Woopee.

[Profiling]

Im curious to see how many "light skin" people are Illegal from other countries...say from Europe, Cananda, etc. I would guess if it was investigated that the numbers would be close to these numbers. Im also wondering why they dont run this report for all races, like armenians, chinese, "europian".... its probably because the Latinos are becoming a force to be dealt with here. Also, PETE, LATINOS are not the ONLY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS in this country just the ones that get HARRASSED the most.

[Sean K]

It simply isn't true anymore that illegal workers only do jobs "no one else wants to do". They make $15-20/hr at the upholstery shop down the street from me, where my nephew was fired for 'not getting along with the illegals', which basically meant they kept complaining to their boss about him because he was the only white kid working there, and they didn't like his music or the fact that he didn't speak spanish. Our economy is to the point where legal American citizens of all persuasions, including Latinos, would love to be out there hailing trucks to unload or flagging down people at Home Depot to offer labor, but every corner and dock is already 'claimed' by illegals. People who say they only do 'work no one else wants to do' probably never had a callous on their pink little hands.

[SeanJean]

Why is it that when anyone complains about people who SHOULD NOT be in this country, they are called racist? That is because the open border advocates that cry racism fully realize they have lost the argument and will resort to anything, including race baiting, to further their hollow argument. Wonder why CA is in this financial mess to being with? Wonder why your tax refunds are not being send out? Why our ER rooms are overflowing? Why our public schools are a wasteland of crowded classrooms and a 50% dropout rate? Is it because of all those Polish illegal immigrants? LOL. Is it because all of Los Angeles and Orange County is full of illegal alien Chinese? LOL. Maybe we should call a spade a spade and stop the free ride many illegal aliens (from our southern border) are getting.

[SCOOTER]

BIF, very well stated.

[El Guapo]

There isn't a single racist post here. Stop calling everything racist just because people regardless of ethnicity have an opinion. And as far as the broad unsubstantiated statement that we're all immigrants, it's just not true. Most of us have lineages that go back to the 18th century.

Fact is there are too many illegals in California period and we as individual tax payers are paying a heavy financial toll not to mention the environmental impact. Many Mexican illegals also have traditions and customs that make it okay to litter streets, entire communities...cultural perhaps but still disgusting. The concern for illegals who commit violent crimes, burglaries and robberies is over shadowed by a percentages and numbers based on the number of illegals here. We're the only Western nation and industrialized state that tolerates the number of illegals we have. Try being an expat in Mexico even, you can't unless of course you bribe your way through it. Try it in Australia, Asia or Ireland, they'll find you and actually put you on a plane. BUILD THE WALL HIGHER AND MAN IT WITH MACHINE GUNS...simple.

[Michael Frisbie]

I used to have to go tothe Social Security office in the morning for awhile. I was shocked to find every day the WHOLE waiting room filled with Latino mothers with their babies getting Social Security cards for them and baby. America is standing on it's head. We've got it all basckwards. Illegals have NOTHING comming by being here. Yet, we give them what we won't give to our citizens. MAN THE BORDERS !!!

[dave]

Santuary city of Los Angeles will begin water rationing soon!!!!
Anyone wonder why?
This is the price we pay for importing foriegn nationals to replace black americans who immigrated here like every one else???

[Musasi]

Robert Gaspar is wrong in 1986 the US government justified illegal immigration by giving them AMNESTY

[Michael Frisbie]

We don't have enough work for the Legal Latinos much less for the Illegal Latinos.

[Tupac Goldstein]

This won't last. The Obama and his AG will soon shut this down.

[MELANIE]

MY ANCESTORS HAVE BEEN IN CALIFORNIA FOR OVER 13 GENERATIONS! BEFORE CALIFORNIA WAS EVEN A STATE, ACTUALLY! MY FATHER AND BROTHER FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY (USA) WITH THEIR OWN SWEAT AND BLOOD! CAN YOU SAY THAT FOR THE LATINO POPULATION? HMM.. BET NOT! THEY NEED ONLY 'RUN' ACROSS THE BORDER TO GAIN ACCESS TO WHAT MY FATHERS AND FORE FATHERS HAVE FOUGHT FOR WITH THEIR LIVES! DID THE LATINOS BUILD HOOVER DAM? I HEARD THEY BUILT AMERICA?!#* WHAT KIND OF CRAP IS THAT? THEY HAVE IT HARD! GUESS WHAT? AMERICANS HAVE IT "HARD" TOO! THEY RUN FROM THE POOR COUNTRIES, GUESS WHAT? GO TO THE APALACIAN MOUNTAIN REGIONS AND TELL ME WHAT POOR IS! WE CAN'T EVEN HELP OUR OWN CITIZENS, HOW CAN WE BE EXPECTED TO HELP THOSE HERE ILLEGALLY? MY HUSBAND IS A LABORER. HE WORKS WITH HIS HANDS EVERYDAY LIKE HIS FATHER BEFORE HIM. HIS HANDS ARE CALLOUSED LIKE NO ONES I'VE SEEN. HE WORKS THRU THE ELEMENTS, COLD - HOT- FREEZING - RAIN - SUN, ETC. EVERY DAY OUTSIDE! I WORK AWAY FROM MY HOME 10 HOURS A DAY BY THE TIME I GET BACK TO IT. IS OUR WORK ANY LESS THEN THE POOR LATINOS WORKING IN THE FIELDS? MY HUSBAND IS 53 YEARS OLD WORKING ALONG SIDE OF 21 YEAR OLDS AND TOGETHER THEY DIG THOSE DITCHES. OH, ONE OF THOSE JOBS "A WHITE BOY WON'T HAVE". WHAT A JOKE!!! SIGNED: MELANIE

[toni]

Pete didn't read the article...the article says that illegals are now getting charged with entering the country illegally i.e. immigration crimes, not that illegals commit more crimes...good grief..I hope he didn't pass his comprehension exam!!! Although I wouldn't be surprised if they did commit more crimes. My hunch is however that per capita they don't, their children do mainly because they join gangs.

[Steve]

We need to deport illegal immigrants that commit crimes instead of putting them in jail -- they cost too much. But once they've been deported, don't let them back in the country. That's critical. There's nothing racist about that. Deport illegals immigrants of any race that commit crimes.

[Dean]

Who really cares that there white illegals, too? I'm all for deporting them as well. I don't owe third-world trash a living, and if the invasion doesn't stop, I would support carpet bombing Mexico until their population is at a level they can support. And learning English BEFORE crossing the border would also help a lot, Spanish has all the meaning of dogs barking to me, and anyone who doesn't speak English is not important enough to bother listening to.

[Smokey JOE]

Look if you feel that you as a LATINO is being racially profiled then call the NAACP, they are not only for black, but all people of color. SO if you want to stop being picked on link up with the NAACP...NOW if you are illegally here not much anyone can do about that...Its just that way in AMERICA

[robert]

Don't forget these illegal immigrations are not the reason for trouble with our economy, etc.. Greedy White CEOs people are the reason!!!! Why did not they go jail !!!

[trajan]

California can no longer afford the high cost of illegal immigrant labor. Now is a great time to crack down on the flood of illegal immigrants that is crippling the economy of our state. We can start with President Obama's stimulus package which should seek to replace illegal immigrant workers with American citizens in those jobs that the elite like to say that, Americans don't want to do. Well, Americans need those jobs now and getting Americans in those jobs would do a great deal to rebuild our economy. We should deal with all the areas that put a strain on our social resources and plug the drain. The issue of companies employing illegals should be debated and that of private citizens hiring day laborers, well that is a problem too. Any illegal immigrant day laborer is taking a job away from an American who could do the work or taking an opportunity away from a politician to develop programs to provide day labor. This immigration issue is part of the problem and the skeleton in our closet that we as Americans need to deal with now!

[Cecy Beltran]

Hello,

It is very sad to see all of those negative comments against Latino Immigrants. Remember, they are not the only immigrants in this country. United States of America is made of Immigrants and the reason the first immigrants came to this country is to give basic needs to their family. Escape from poverty and be able to have food in their table. When they first arrived, they were full of energy to work long hours no matter what. They dream about the American dream everyday and worked harder, and harder. The time passed and the new generations enjoyed all the benefits of the new society and forgot about their illegal ancestors.

I am an illegal immigrant, I am Mexican. My mom brought me at the age of 15 and was an undocumented person for many years, but that did not stop me. I went to school, learned the language and perfected my own. I worked in restaurants, in warehouses collecting fruit, cleaning houses, to pay for my school. Even thought I did not have a social security, I paid taxes. Finally, I became resident, graduated from college got a job that pays me $ 40.00 an hour and at my 28 , I own my house.

I am not citizen yet, planning to become one next year. Still have many dreams to accomplish.

Like me, there are many people living in the cities everyday and we are not all criminals.

[Brian]

Steve Rodriguez wrote: "They work the jobs no one wants to work for free."

Right, Steve... and they therefore PAY NO TAXES, but their children are crowding the schools, and they still get free use of the things we taxpayers pay for, such as the roads, police, fire department, social services, etc.

Steve, are you really dense enough to think that does not have a major impact on California's economy? That's part of the reason California is bankrupt. Ding-dong!

[smokeonit]

the real problem is that today illegal immigrants are the new slaves... they don't have rights, they get paid very little... mot americans do not acknowledge this, but this is the way it is for the last decades...

the only way to change that is to go after the employers and break the vicious cycle of people coming knowing they will find a hob since no one really cares if your papers are in order or not... if the employers really took those things seriously illegal immigration would go down 90% and legal immigration would pick up in numbers, with many immigrants becoming U.S. citizens after 5 years and thus becoming americans... right now all illegal immigrants are caught in the vicious cycle of not having rights and having to hide in plain sight in day to day life... shame on us all!!!

[JB]

It seems to me that all those who use Latinos as scapegoats to all of our problems should get off their butts and work hard like us Latinos. You people are the cause of the problem. We would not have so many immigrants if you guys stop stuffing yourself, and laying on your couch and instead do real work!

[Bob McCain]

Did any of you actually read the whole article instead of just the first passage? In the second passage it states that these were immigration offenses not murders. robberies or drug offenses. And of course many of the people who are convicted of these are going to be Hispanics because many of them are here illegal more so than other illegal immigrants from other countries.

[smokeonit]

Diaz: "The law is the law in every country and it should be enforced, no problem there. The only thing that irritates me is when a racist sees me in the street and automatically assumes I'm in the country illegally or that I'm Mexican just because I'm brown colored. I am an American period, America is not just for whites, its for everyone."

i couldn't agree more! and in other countries, especially in europe, immigration abuse is very low, VERy, if there;s a ill it can be done! and all immigrants would benefit from it. from all ethnic backgrounds..

[NoMoreIllegals]

Why don't we open the doors to illegals all over the world? What a stupid statement some people here are making saying that everyone here are illegal immigrants at one time or another. Some come legally and pay taxes. All these Latino illegals try to take advantage of the system and most commit crimes. Most of them have already ruin the education system.

Chinese and Polish illegals? At least we know crime won't go up. It's time to deport these illegals. Forget calling them undocumented or Mexican national, call them what they are and that's ILLEGALs.

[troy]

If Mexicans wouldn't cause so much trouble, with their gangs and crime, poor school performance, ethnocentric arrogance, and racial issues with blacks and others, then maybe people wouldn't be so down on them. Mexicans tend to be very destructive. They are their own worse enemy. Deport them all; men, women and children.

[Can't Stop them!]

You think WE're racists? Hmm! Sit down near them during breaks and hear them how they refer to White, Black and others. Believe me! You won't enjoy a bit of it (they are hypocrites). These people don't care about our culture, customs and courtesies. They don't care about the way we live. They think they have the RIGHT to come here breaking every law in our books and to have coalitions to back them up. What they ignore is the fact that most of those coalitions are supported by the U.S. Government. So we've been taken out for a BIG ride ever since they started coming in. The problem? We can't stop them! They all violated Title 8, Section 1325 of the U.S. Code of Regulations for coming in without authorization and without being inspected. But, what do we do? LET THEM ALL IN! I say it's time to send them all back where they belong. Their marches or protests don't mean crap to us.

[jack straw]

If we deported ALL of the illegal aliens, not only would the crime rate drop, but lines at the supermarket would also be shorter, traffic on the roads would also be lighter, our cities would also be less over-crowded, and the unemployment rate would also drop.

Given the horrible state of the economy, especially in California, we now need those "jobs that Americans wouldn't do" for desparate, jobless Americans ... not for law-breaking, self-entitled foreigners.

[Joseph]

This is good news. Securing our borders means more than building a wall. It also means finding and deporting those who make it past our Border Patrol.

It will be interesting to see what the Obama administration considers Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Are they more interested in legalizing the illegals or preventing further illegal immigration?

I do find those with the sanctuary mentality feel that anyone who advocates enforcing our immigration laws must be a racist xenophobe. Well at least I'm thankful they stopped using mean-spirited to describe any suggestion of law enforcement. We can be very pro legal immigration and very much against illegal immigration.

[JD]

Immigration activists with Hispanic surnames wouldn't care less about the poor illegals if we shared a border with Norway instead of Mexico.

[Citizens against Illegals]

WAKE UP California, No wonder your broke. You keep supporting the Illegals and not sending them back. Do something and stop the invasion. Give the tax payers a break for god sake.

[Edward]

Let’s all take a simple test, if you were caught in ANY OTHER COUNTRY with out proper documentation to be there what would happen. Well that was a rhetorical question you know what would happen you would be sent back to wherever you came from PERIOD.

[C L]

So, most of the hispanics in prison are there for because they didn't have documents to work-immigration related offenses. When only the citizens are counted, Hispanics constitute only 11 percent of the population. Whites made up 27 percent while 23 percent were black. Whites are there for drug offenses, robbery and murder. Ninety five percent of serial killers are white. Ninety-nine percent of the financial fraudsters since the 1980s have been whites. It must be something in their genes that brings out all this corruption. Not content with creating the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression, the anti-immigrant loonies continue to blame immigrants for their problems. Get real.

[Davy Crocket]

We also more guest worker HB-1 visas so that we can lay off more of us american citizens and hire cheap skilled labor inside our own country. Remember bring your tired sick and poor and we owe you our jobs, because immigrants deserve them more than us.

[MaryJ]

More arrests for immigration offenses? Only one word for that: Good!

[BB]

So, most of the hispanics in prison are there for because they broke the law.... Go Figure

[Unbiased]

Let me give everyone a relatively unbiased opinion (after all, an opinion can never truly be objective). I am a first generation immigrant that came to this country legally over 15 years ago. I am not white. I grew up among latinos in a hispanic city (I will not reveal my ethnicity other than the fact that I'm not white because someone always finds an excuse based on the characteristics of the person/debater, not the subject at hand--if you've ever taken communications classes in college or perhaps high school, then you should know this straw man tactic is a fallacy).

With all this said, I must have lost a lot of uneducated folks who were reading this. Back to my point, I went to elementary school with latinos. Quite a few (I did not say ALL) join gangs very early. In fact, they force other kids of various ethnicities to form gangs to protect themselves. I finished college among the top of my class and am frequently still around the latino city I grew up in. Things have gotten worse in the past decade. Even more apartments have become gang hangouts and drug dealing centers. Very recently two USC students were run down by a latino couple. They killed one of the students, and the other who was badly hurt was literally pushed off the car so the two drivers and their 7 month baby could flee from the scene.

Let's face it--no one wants to stereotype or profile another. With the diversity within this country though, that can't always be avoided, it comes with the territory.

As for the latino "Marcos El Malo" who complained about someone else's math regarding illegal's criminal offenses, you're letting your bias blind you. Sure only about 20% of federal crimes are caused by illegals, but the first statistics say 40% of federal crimes are committed by latinos. You're basically saying latinos in GENERAL are more likely to commit crimes...It just so happens half of those crimes are done by illegal latinos, half by legal ones....not very good statistics either way...but of course many latinos who are still subjective instead of objective would claim I'm a racist. I grew up among you, I have many latinos as friends, I shop at the local latino supermarkets and I love the food and especially horchata. But let's face it, the younger generations that the illegals are working so hard to care for and raise in this country are simply not making the cut. They underperform in schools while simultaneously dragging down other groups.

Illegal latino immigrants simply CANNOT be compared to those who came through Ellis Island. Ellis Island actually had stringent inspections, checks, and questions. It was a formal screening. Illegal latinos from Mexico simply hop over here. They could be terrorists, have diseases, or just looking for easy ways to make money. Of course, some want to come here to start a new life, but they really should have appealed to the government to do so legally before taking the liberty of coming over without consent. It's like if I stole a car, but then claim I've driven it for the majority of my life and I have belongings in it as well as many fond memories, does it make the initial act of stealing the car legal? Same concept. Accept it.

[rhonda]

I hate the things illegals do. I HATE the way you look at me, with such hate in your eyes. I hate the way you talk! This is American and we speak ENGLISH! I HATE the way you take food from the mouths of Americans! I HATE the drugs you bring with you and the trash you leave on my Country! Yes, I hate the things Illegals Do! I hate the fear you have put in the lives of elderly Americans. I HATE having to pay for your babies! I hate having to put food in your mouth and a roof over your head! Yes, I hate the things Illegals do and don't do. Like, They don't GO HOME!