8 myths around immigration
The following eight claims come from old viral memes, political messaging, or anecdote and have been repeatedly debunked by reporters and fact-checkers.
The recurring pattern: the memes conflate lawfully present non-citizens, U.S.-born children in mixed households, and other categories; they misuse denominators (percent of what?) and rely on anecdotes rather than official data.
“More than half of all gang members are illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False / Unsupported.
National gang surveys (e.g., National Youth Gang Survey / National Gang Center) show that migrant or foreign-born gang members exist and are present in many agencies’ caseloads, but there’s no credible national evidence that over half of all gang members in the U.S. are undocumented immigrants. Gang composition varies by region and gang. Broad national claims like “more than half” are unsupported.
“75% of California's Most Wanted are illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False / Unverified.
This is another meme number that fact-checkers traced back to unverifiable or anecdotal claims. LAPD and local authorities do not publish evidence supporting that 75% figure; reporters and fact-checkers found no reliable data to back it up.
“More than 66% of all births in California are to illegal aliens on MediCal, paid for by the US Taxpayers.”
Verdict: False.
Fact-checks show the correct number (for 2011–2013) was on the order of 12–15% of births in California covered by Medi-Cal to undocumented mothers — not 66%. (Also note: Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program and covers many low-income people who are citizens or lawfully present immigrants; “paid for by US taxpayers” is an oversimplification of state/federal funding and eligibility rules.)
“Nearly 39% of all California's students, grades 1-12 are illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False.
A commonly cited accurate metric is students with an undocumented parent, not students who themselves are undocumented. Pew and other researchers estimated in the 2010s that about 7% of U.S. K–12 students were children of unauthorized immigrants (and California had higher rates for students with an undocumented parent — roughly ~12% in some estimates). None of the credible data support 39% of California K–12 students being undocumented themselves
“Nearly 60 percent of all occupants of HUD properties are Illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False.
Fact-checks found the true share of HUD public-housing occupants who are undocumented is very small (well under 1%) in national estimates — nowhere near 60%.
“Less than 2% of illegal aliens are picking crops but 41% are on welfare.”
Verdict: Partly false / misleading.
The “<2% picking crops” line (about share of all undocumented people who are crop pickers) is closer to plausible depending on how you measure agricultural workers vs population, but the “41% on welfare” is misleading: many cited statistics count U.S.-born children in mixed-status households who receive benefits (not undocumented adults directly receiving cash welfare).
Direct receipt of cash welfare by undocumented immigrants is extremely limited by law. Fact-checkers rate this claim mostly false. For agricultural workforce composition see USDA/ERS data on farmworkers; for welfare/SNAP context see DHS/USDA/fact checks.
“95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False.
This figure traces to an unverified 2004 claim and has no official backing. LAPD/Fugitive Warrant Section told reporters those statistics do not exist as stated. Major fact-checkers flag this as false.
“More than 43% of all food stamps are given to illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False / Misleading.
Undocumented immigrants are generally ineligible for SNAP (food stamps). Non-citizens who are lawfully present (refugees, green-card holders, certain parolees, etc.) can qualify and appear in non-citizen counts. Recent USDA reports show roughly 1.4–1.8 million noncitizens on SNAP (most are lawfully present), out of ~40+ million participants — far less than 43% of benefits1. More than 43% of all food stamps are given to illegal aliens.
The recurring pattern: the memes conflate lawfully present non-citizens, U.S.-born children in mixed households, and other categories; they misuse denominators (percent of what?) and rely on anecdotes rather than official data.
“More than half of all gang members are illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False / Unsupported.
National gang surveys (e.g., National Youth Gang Survey / National Gang Center) show that migrant or foreign-born gang members exist and are present in many agencies’ caseloads, but there’s no credible national evidence that over half of all gang members in the U.S. are undocumented immigrants. Gang composition varies by region and gang. Broad national claims like “more than half” are unsupported.
“75% of California's Most Wanted are illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False / Unverified.
This is another meme number that fact-checkers traced back to unverifiable or anecdotal claims. LAPD and local authorities do not publish evidence supporting that 75% figure; reporters and fact-checkers found no reliable data to back it up.
“More than 66% of all births in California are to illegal aliens on MediCal, paid for by the US Taxpayers.”
Verdict: False.
Fact-checks show the correct number (for 2011–2013) was on the order of 12–15% of births in California covered by Medi-Cal to undocumented mothers — not 66%. (Also note: Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program and covers many low-income people who are citizens or lawfully present immigrants; “paid for by US taxpayers” is an oversimplification of state/federal funding and eligibility rules.)
“Nearly 39% of all California's students, grades 1-12 are illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False.
A commonly cited accurate metric is students with an undocumented parent, not students who themselves are undocumented. Pew and other researchers estimated in the 2010s that about 7% of U.S. K–12 students were children of unauthorized immigrants (and California had higher rates for students with an undocumented parent — roughly ~12% in some estimates). None of the credible data support 39% of California K–12 students being undocumented themselves
“Nearly 60 percent of all occupants of HUD properties are Illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False.
Fact-checks found the true share of HUD public-housing occupants who are undocumented is very small (well under 1%) in national estimates — nowhere near 60%.
“Less than 2% of illegal aliens are picking crops but 41% are on welfare.”
Verdict: Partly false / misleading.
The “<2% picking crops” line (about share of all undocumented people who are crop pickers) is closer to plausible depending on how you measure agricultural workers vs population, but the “41% on welfare” is misleading: many cited statistics count U.S.-born children in mixed-status households who receive benefits (not undocumented adults directly receiving cash welfare).
Direct receipt of cash welfare by undocumented immigrants is extremely limited by law. Fact-checkers rate this claim mostly false. For agricultural workforce composition see USDA/ERS data on farmworkers; for welfare/SNAP context see DHS/USDA/fact checks.
“95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False.
This figure traces to an unverified 2004 claim and has no official backing. LAPD/Fugitive Warrant Section told reporters those statistics do not exist as stated. Major fact-checkers flag this as false.
“More than 43% of all food stamps are given to illegal aliens.”
Verdict: False / Misleading.
Undocumented immigrants are generally ineligible for SNAP (food stamps). Non-citizens who are lawfully present (refugees, green-card holders, certain parolees, etc.) can qualify and appear in non-citizen counts. Recent USDA reports show roughly 1.4–1.8 million noncitizens on SNAP (most are lawfully present), out of ~40+ million participants — far less than 43% of benefits1. More than 43% of all food stamps are given to illegal aliens.
36-40, F
