OUT-OF-DATE STATISTICS DISTORT PUBLIC POLICIES
Out-of-date or non-existent statistics often spur irrational conclusions about major issues. For instance, many liberals today worry about military-style assault rifles and call for a renewed ban on their sale. But government figures show only 2 percent of gun crimes involve so-called assault weapons and overall gun homicides declined an amazing 49 percent since 1993—despite expiration of the assault weapon ban.
Meanwhile, some conservatives still decry a tidal wave of illegal immigration from Mexico, even though all arrivals from that country, legal and illegal, made-up just 13 percent of all immigrants between 2010 and 2013. Immigrants from Asia outnumbered Mexicans by 3-and-a-half to one, and continue to represent the bulk of new arrivals.
A fence on the Southern border may be useful in enhancing national security, but it won’t slow the most rapidly growing group of illegals – who flock to America from India, often for high tech jobs.