As far back as the 5th century BC, Plato decried demagogues who propagate disinformation about a target group in order to stir up public fear of them and then present themselves as protectors of the public from their fabricated danger.

President Donald Trump’s fear-mongering, dehumanization and untruths about immigrants helped him get elected. Plato had Trump’s number.

Contrary to President Trump’s ongoing parade of falsehoods about most immigrants and crime, here are documented facts to the contrary.

Immigration is not linked to higher levels of crime. The opposite is true. Despite a significant increase in immigration since 1980, violent crime has decreased nationwide.

Results of a study from border state Texas, published in September 2024, concluded that documented immigrants commit less crime than native-born Americans and that undocumented immigrants commit the least amount of crime.

Furthermore the study found that undocumented immigrants are arrested at less than half the rate of native-born U.S. citizens for violent and drug crimes and a quarter the rate of native-born citizens for property crimes.

Trump has repeatedly claimed, even at his inauguration, that countries around the world are sending many dangerous criminals from their prisons and mental institutions to the U.S. Experts on immigration find no evidence for this. It is a complete fabrication.

Some might respond, what do you expect? President Trump lies all the time. True, and often with tragic consequences.

Monique Weston Clague,

Keene