El Paso and Hispanic immigration

In 2007, El Paso, Texas had over 27% of its citizens at or below the poverty level, more than twice the national average.  With a median income of just over $35,000, El Paso ranks $13,000 below the national median.  El Paso's population is three quarters Hispanic and more than a quarter are foreign born.  El Paso is right across the Rio Grande river from Ciudad, Mexico; one of the most violent cities in North America.  While no accurate numbers exist, it's fair to assume there's a large illegal immigrant population in El Paso.

Now, if one dined on a steady diet of Lou Dobbs, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck, one would just know for sure that El Paso is a boiling cauldron of lawlessness. 

But then there's those damn facts...

El Paso is among the safest big cities in America. For the better part of the last decade, only Honolulu has had a lower violent crime rate (El Paso slipped to third last year, behind New York). Men's Health magazine recently ranked El Paso the second "happiest" city in America, right after Laredo, Texas—another border town, where the Hispanic population is approaching 95 percent. (Link)

And this is really gonna freak the Dobbs, Hannity' and Beck fans:

Numerous studies by independent researchers and government commissions over the past 100 years repeatedly and consistently have found that, in fact, immigrants are less likely to commit crimes or to be behind bars than are the native-born. This is true for the nation as a whole, as well as for cities with large immigrant populations such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Miami, and cities along the U.S.-Mexico border such as San Diego and El Paso. (Link)

The Reason article noted a couple possible reasons.  One is that immigrants, be they legal or illegal, come to the U.S. at a great cost.  It's a relatively large expense, the immigrants are often separated from their family, and most consider their trek to the U.S. a high stakes gamble.  And, given those sacrifices, these immigrants are generally pretty motivated to prosper.

As the article notes, while all the Dobbs et al fans may be freaking at the thought of cities with 95% Hispanic populations, the cities of South Texas have a whole different view of the situation.

El Paso Mayor John Cook told the Post. "They don't understand our philosophy here that the border joins us together, it doesn't separate us."