The browser you are using is not supported. Please consider using a modern browser.

Skip Navigation
Act Now Donate
Start of main content.

News // Immigrant Empowerment & Inclusion

Global Refuge on WYPR: Combatting Misinformation about Immigrants

Global Refuge Staff

September 25, 2024

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Global Refuge, joined Midday with Tom Hall on WYPR, Baltimore’s local NPR affiliate, for a discussion on the spread of misinformation about immigrants and refugees in America. This concern remains in the spotlight after former President Trump referenced the Haitian community of Springfield, Ohio in the September 10th presidential debate. Vignarajah also dispels other common misconceptions about immigrants, including the false notion that they contribute to higher crime rates and housing prices.

Listen to the full segment above and share our Combatting Disinformation toolkit.

Key excerpts:

Myth: Refugees and immigrants take American jobs.

Fact: With nearly 7.7 million unfilled jobs nationwide and at a time of record-low unemployment, immigrants are essential to filling in the gaps in the American workforce. Immigrants are also more likely to contribute to job creation than displacement, with more than 55% of the country’s billion-dollar startups founded by immigrants.

Myth: Refugees and immigrants don’t pay taxes and are a drain on our nation’s resources.

Fact: Refugees and asylees contribute significantly to U.S. communities at the federal, state, and local level—both economically and culturally. Refugees and asylees contributed an estimated $581 billion in revenue to the U.S. economy from 2005 to 2019, and, in some cases, they pay into Social Security without reaping its benefits. Most importantly, they are our doctors and nurses, our well-known chefs, our favorite musicians, our overnight construction workers, our local shop owners, our neighbors, and so much more.

Myth: Refugees and immigrants commit more crimes and make the country more dangerous.

Fact: Research has proven time and again that there is no link between immigration and increased crime rates and that immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than their native‐born peers. In fact, some studies show that increased immigration results in lower crime rates—meaning immigrants make the United States safer for all

The Latest

  • News

    November 5, 2026

    A Lifeline for Families in Crisis

    Omar* and his family have been working hard to build a new life in the United States after fleeing Afghanistan. With the help of Global Refuge, they've found counseling, community, and support as they work through these challenges.

    Read More
  • Press Release

    October 30, 2026

    Global Refuge Disturbed by Plan to Deport Afghans to the Taliban by Way of Pakistan

    The Trump administration is reportedly moving to deport roughly 150 Afghans to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan by way of Pakistan, a step that could set a dangerous new precedent.

    Read More
  • News

    October 29, 2026

    “Welcome Is Always Worth It”: One Congregation’s Commitment to New Neighbors

    Pastor Peg S. and Lutheran Church of the Master in Los Angeles undertook the Global Refuge Faith Alliance training and decided on three concrete ways to welcome refugees and other immigrants in their communities.

    Read More
  • Advocacy

    October 27, 2026

    What Are the Country Conditions in Afghanistan?

    Five years after American troops withdrew from Afghanistan, conditions in the country remain unsafe and volatile for vulnerable populations, including displaced people, women and girls, and allies of the U.S.

    Read More
  • News

    October 27, 2026

    It Breaks My Heart to See America Endanger Refugee Families

    After a lifetime of humanitarian work, watching the U.S. dismantle protections for children and parents feels like a profound betrayal for Global Refuge Director for Advocacy Leslie Archambeault.

    Read More

Share