Latinos Scared To Report Crimes Due to Deportation Fears: Study

A newly published University of Illinois report shows that Latino are less likely to report crimes - 70% of the undocumented said they are less likely to contact police officers if they were victims of a crime because local police are increasingly involved in enforcing immigration laws in their communities.

The survey was conducted in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston; over 2,000 Hispanic participated.

The study 'Insecure Communities: Latino Perceptions of Police Involvement in Immigration Enforcement' was designed to assess the perceptions of public safety in Latino neighborhoods and their willingness to contact the police when crimes have been committed.

According to the study, 44% of Hispanics said they were less likely to contact police if they had been a victim of a crime for fear they or someone they know would be asked about their immigration status.

While 45% of the people indicated they were less likely to voluntarily offer information about crimes they know have been committed, 43% feel less safe because local law enforcement is more involved in immigration enforcement, leading to a sharp increase in deportations. In addition, 38% of Latinos feel afraid to leave their home due to deportation fears.

Moreover, 62% of Hispanics said police stop Latinos on the street without a "good reason".

Responding to the survey findings, Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, said in a statement: "Federal deportation policy doesn't just destroy families; it is destroying public trust in law enforcement and, as a consequence, threatening everyone's public safety."

Members of the Latino community organizations in cities like New York have long said that these programs put immigrant communities at risk of becoming victim to crime and violence.

"I think the result of this study shows the intolerance Latinos have to confront every day in this country," Ricardo Torrest, a community leader from Queens, told the Latinos Post.

The Hispanic community leaders also highlight that lack of reporting leads to violent offenders going unpunished and innocent victims taking on unnecessary risks.

Around 409,000 people were deported last year, largely through these programs run by the federal government.