No, Illegal Migrants Did Not Ruin the United States Under Biden — Here's What the Data Actually Shows
“Illegal migrants ruined the United States during Biden's time in office”
The argument in brief
The claim is that unauthorized immigration during the Biden years destroyed the country economically and socially. The verdict is partially false. While border crossings hit genuine record highs — over 2.4 million encounters in FY2023 — U.S. unemployment fell, the economy grew, and research consistently shows undocumented immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than native-born citizens.
Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024
Why it spread
This claim spread because it offers a simple, emotionally satisfying explanation for anxieties about change — economic, cultural, and social. When people feel uncertain about their community or their future, a clear villain is compelling. Strong partisan identities also meant the claim was shared and reinforced within trusted social circles, making it feel true even when aggregate data pointed elsewhere.
The claim is straightforward and loud: illegal migrants flooded the country under Biden and ruined it. It is partially false. The border surge was real and created serious strain on communities, courts, and federal resources. But the leap from 'real policy problem' to 'national ruin' is not supported by the evidence.
Start with the economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows U.S. unemployment dropped from 6.4% in January 2021 to around 4.1% by late 2024, with millions of jobs added along the way. The Congressional Budget Office went further, finding that increased immigration — including undocumented immigrants — contributed net positives to GDP and helped fill critical labor shortages, projecting a $7 trillion boost over a decade. Countries that are being ruined do not typically post those numbers.
What about crime? The Cato Institute, drawing on multiple peer-reviewed studies, finds that undocumented immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than native-born U.S. citizens. This finding is consistent across methodologies and has been replicated repeatedly. It directly contradicts one of the loudest parts of the 'ruin' narrative.
On taxes and public costs, the American Immigration Council estimates undocumented immigrants paid roughly $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022 alone — while remaining ineligible for most federal benefit programs like Social Security and Medicaid. The fiscal picture is more complicated than the claim allows.
None of this means the border situation was fine. Record encounters strained real systems and real communities, and those are legitimate concerns worth serious policy debate. PolitiFact has repeatedly rated sweeping 'ruin' claims as False or Mostly False precisely because they collapse a genuine challenge into an extreme conclusion the data does not support. When you hear a real problem described in apocalyptic terms, that is a signal to look at the numbers carefully.
Sources
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Official Data
CBP recorded historically high border encounters during the Biden administration, peaking at over 2.4 million in FY2023, representing a genuine surge in unauthorized crossings compared to prior years.
- Congressional Budget Office (CBO) — Immigration and the U.S. Economy
CBO's 2024 analysis found that increased immigration, including undocumented immigrants, added net positive contributions to U.S. GDP and helped fill labor shortages, projecting a $7 trillion GDP boost over a decade.
- Cato Institute — Illegal Immigration and Crime
Multiple peer-reviewed studies and Cato Institute research consistently show that undocumented immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than native-born U.S. citizens, contradicting claims of widespread criminality.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — U.S. Employment Data 2021-2024
U.S. unemployment fell from 6.4% in January 2021 to approximately 4.1% by late 2024, and the economy added millions of jobs during the Biden administration, inconsistent with a claim of economic ruin.
- American Immigration Council — Fiscal Impact of Undocumented Immigrants
Undocumented immigrants pay billions in federal, state, and local taxes annually — estimated at $96.7 billion in 2022 — while being ineligible for most federal benefit programs.
- PolitiFact — Fact-checks on immigration claims
PolitiFact has repeatedly rated sweeping claims that illegal immigration 'destroyed' or 'ruined' the U.S. as False or Mostly False, noting that while border challenges were real and significant, broad claims of national ruin are unsupported by data.
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