LAREDO, Texas - U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar has released FBI crime statistics from 2022. He says they demonstrate that border communities are safer than non-border cities in the United States.
“As someone who lives on the border and has raised a family here, I have found that the rhetoric about our southern border offers little resemblance to what is on the ground,” Cuellar said.
“Year after year, FBI statistics show that crime rates are lower on the border than non-border cities across the country. The reality of our border communities is simple: our crime rates are low, and our residents feel safe because of the efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement.”
Cuellar pointed out that in 2022, the murder rate in New Orleans, Louisiana, was 71.9 for every 100,000 residents, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. Meanwhile, in border communities like Laredo and El Paso, it was less than 5. In addition,
Cleveland, Ohio, had 1,613.7 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents. Comparatively, Laredo had 316.8 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents, while Rio Grande City, Texas, had 146.5.
Cuellar said that as a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, he will continue to fund programs that support law enforcement and protect our communities.
“I would like to thank the dedicated law enforcement officers and local leaders at our southern border who keep our communities safe,” Cuellar added.
Below are bar graphs from Cuellar showing murder rates and violent crime rates between Texas border cities and select U.S. cities, as well as Texas border cities and select Texas cities.
