Heather MacDonald, in an article titled “The Illegal-Alien Crime Wave,” wrote, “Some of the most violent criminals at large today are illegal aliens. Yet in cities where the crime these aliens commit is highest, the police cannot use the most obvious tool to apprehend them: their immigration status” (City Journal,Winter 2004). MacDonald highlighted Los Angeles as an example: The city is home to numerous gangs, of which many are comprised of illegal immigrants from around the world—particularly Asia, Latin America and South America.

Alone and often without money or a place to live, illegal immigrants in big cities are prone to joining gangs in order to acquire food and shelter. Feeling secure among people of their own race or status (illegal), the new immigrant oftentimes embraces the gang as his surrogate family, and crime becomes his new occupation.

MacDonald highlighted the following examples:

Referring to another L.A. gang, MacDonald stated, “[D]ozens of members of a ruthless Salvadoran prison gang have [snuck] back into town after having been deported for such crimes as murder, assault with a deadly weapon and drug trafficking. Police officers know who they are and know that their mere presence in the country is a felony. Yet should a cop arrest an illegal for felonious reentry, it is he who will be treated as a criminal for violating the lapd’s [Los Angeles Police Department’s] rule against enforcing immigration law.

“The lapd’s ban on immigration enforcement mirrors bans in immigrant-saturated cities around the country, from New York and Chicago to San Diego, Austin and Houston. These ‘sanctuary policies’ generally prohibit city employees, including the cops, from reporting immigration violations to federal authorities.”

Illegal immigration is a contributing factor behind the high crime rates in many of America’s larger cities. Making matters worse is the fact that many of the illegal immigrants committing the crimes are protected by misguided policies set up by city and state governments.

“[Sanctuary] laws testify to the sheer political power of immigrant lobbies, a power so irresistible that police officials shrink from even mentioning the illegal alien crime wave. ‘We can’t even talk about it,’ says a frustrated lapd captain. ‘People are afraid of a backlash from Hispanics.’ Another lapd commander in a predominantly Hispanic, gang-infested district sighs: ‘I would get a firestorm of criticism if I talked about [enforcing the immigration law against illegals].’ Neither captain would speak for attribution” (ibid.).

James R. Edwards, an author who specializes in immigration, stated, “The impact [of illegal immigration] is seen particularly in crime: Record-high auto thefts in Arizona, drug trafficking in Salt Lake City, human smuggling rings in Los Angeles, D.C. sniper Lee Malvo, money laundering, prostitution, gang murders, and even slavery” (The Claremont Institute, Nov. 22, 2004; emphasis ours). The evidence proves that illegal immigrants are a driving force behind high crime rates in many American cities, particularly those close to the southern border.

Adding to the impact illegal immigrants are having on America’s crime statistics is the impact they are having on the U.S. prison system. America’s prisons are chock full of illegal immigrants. The facts and figures are stunning.

“In 2002, nearly 29 percent, or 39,000 inmates, in the federal prison system were non-citizens. Based on prior research, we estimated that 59 percent of this total are illegal aliens. This translates into 17 percent of the federal prison population, and thus 17 percent of the $4.1 billion prison budget can be attributed to illegal alien households” (cis, op. cit.). The fact that 17 percent of America’s prisoners are illegal immigrants is evidence of the vast extent of their involvement in crime and criminal activities.

In Britain, illegal immigrants similarly contribute to crime. The large numbers of illegal immigrants seeking to work in the UK give rise to organized criminals who recruit and supply cheap labor for agricultural, catering, construction, food processing and manufacturing job markets. The majority of illegal immigrants entering the UK would not be able to do so without forged or stolen travel documents, transportation access, fraudulent sponsorship and other benefits provided by these crooks.

“Serious and organized criminals involved in both smuggling and trafficking make extensive use of bribery and corruption to support their activities. They exploit border guards, police and customs officers, and a range of political and official contacts in order to operate unhindered. They also collude with professionals who can assist them, including those in the legal profession” (National Criminal Intelligence Service report, 2003). Some illegal immigrants work for months or years while in transit to pay off the fee that these criminals charge.

There is also evidence that illegal immigrants are used by organized criminals in drug trafficking, vehicle theft and even aggressive begging and pick-pocketing (especially in bigger cities like London) in order to obtain credit cards that can be used for further criminal activity.

There are those who believe immigration restrictions would not help solve a nation’s crime problems and that the focus therefore needs to be on dealing with the actual crime itself. Crime is an inherent part of any society, some argue. While this argument has some validity, because it recognizes that crime will exist as long as human nature remains unchanged, it is erroneous.

Consider the gang situation in California. If every illegal immigrant was deported out of California and if illegals were prevented from coming in and joining gangs, would gang-related criminal activity stop? Probably not. But would it drop? Yes—and probably quite dramatically.

While prevention of illegal immigration wouldn’t cure our crime problems, it would definitely reduce the number of crimes occurring in many of our larger cities, particularly those closer to our borders. Illegal immigrants are playing a significant role in America’s and Britain’s crime problems.

Because our enforcement agencies are handcuffed by lack of resources, as well as bureaucracy and political correctness, criminal activity conducted by illegal immigrants will only grow worse. Our cities will increasingly be robbed of peace and safety.

Terrorists in Our Midst

The economic and criminal impact of poorly managed immigration is hijacking the economies and largely peaceful societies of the U.S., Australia, Britain and Canada. Uncontrolled immigration, however, presents an even more sobering threat.

“After decades of attempting to dam the flow of Mexican immigrants crossing into the United States illegally, federal agents say a new crisis is emerging along the southern border, and they are helpless to stop it. Non-Mexicans are spilling over the border in record numbers—some from countries with terrorist ties—and most are set free soon after being captured” (Christian Science Monitor,July 26). America’s porous borders have become an attractive option for terrorists seeking entry into the nation.

“Already this year the number of non-Mexican apprehensions has far outpaced last year’s total in just eight months” (ibid.). Illegal immigrants from nations other than Mexico are flooding into America at an unprecedented rate.

“Because … ‘Other than Mexicans’ [otms] … must be returned to their country of origin, they cannot be simply sent back across the southern border, as most Mexicans are. Under U.S. law, they must be detained [in the U.S.] pending a deportation hearing. The problem is, immigration detention centers are packed, so most otms are given a court summons and told to return in three months. A full 85 percent don’t” (ibid.).

According to the U.S. Border Patrol, 465,000 otms have exploited this “catch and release” program and settled illegally in the United States. The Christian Science Monitor quoted T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council: “It’s an insane policy which encourages otms to come into the country illegally, and we shouldn’t be shocked that they are coming in record numbers.” While most otms come from Central and South America, more than 600 of them entered the U.S. from “countries of concern” in 2004—countries that support terrorists.

There is no mistaking the fact that weak-willed immigration policies and practices are contributing to the economic and societal destruction of America, Britain and Canada. Combine these facts with the likely possibility that terrorists are penetrating our porous borders and setting up camp, and we should easily recognize the severity of the immigration issue. This is a serious issue. National security is on the line.

The solution to our immigration problems lies beyond politics. The curses immigration has thrust upon the Western world were prophesied in the Bible. The reasons behind the failure of our immigration practices are spiritual.

In our book The United States and Britain in Prophecy (free to Trumpet readers upon request) we explain that the nations of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom comprise the peoples of biblical Israel. This is important for you to understand, because the Bible has specific prophecies concerning these nations. One of those prophecies discusses the problem that these nations would have with immigration.

God gave a dire warning to the Israelite peoples concerning immigrants from other cultures (the Bible uses the word strangers). He said that if the children of Israel were to rebel against His laws—to turn away from His commandments and embrace the practices of the heathen—they would suffer terribly (Deuteronomy 28:15-19). The curses included this prophecy: “The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail. Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever” (verses 43-46).

The fulfillment of the stranger rising up in great numbers and overwhelming the Israelitish people is a sign of God’s curses being poured out on these nations. Lax immigration policies and weak borders are playing an instrumental role in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. God is cursing the nations of biblical Israel for their failure to hold fast to His laws. God is humbling us—imploring us to turn to Him.

Unless the nations of Israel repent, “strangers” will continue to pour through their ports of entry and get above them until they lose the inheritance afforded them by Almighty God. It is prophetic fulfillment. It is happening as you read this magazine.