Trump Distorts Venezuela Crime Data to Falsely Claim Country Sends Criminals to U.S.
Trump Distorts Venezuela Crime Data to Falsely Claim Country Sends Criminals to U.S. Experts Warn Against Xenophobia Towards Venezuelan Immigrants In recent weeks, former President Donald Trump has doubled down on his anti-immigrant rhetoric, falsely claiming that countries around the world have been "emptying their prisons and mental institutions" to send criminals to the United States. As supposed proof of this, the Republican presidential candidate has been citing a drop in crime in Venezuela. "They crossed our border claiming they were afraid for their lives in Venezuela, but you know, crime in Venezuela is down... because they've brought all the criminals here," Trump questioned on Saturday during a speech in Philadelphia, where he once again criticized the Biden administration's handling of the border. Trump's claim is false. While the number of violent deaths in Venezuela dropped by around 25% in 2023 compared to 2021 and 2022, according to data f...