New statistics from the FBI’s 2023 Uniform Crime Report revealed U.S. border communities are safer than big cities in states that do not border Mexico. The border cities had fewer murders and overall violent crime, which includes murder, non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.
Cleveland had 1,700 crimes committed per 100,000 people, New Orleans had 1,300 and Washington, D.C., saw about 1,050.
The national average in 2023 was 363 crimes per 100,000 people. Texas border communities were far lower than those larger cities and in many cases below the national average.
Laredo had 425, Brownsville has 391, El Paso had 336, and McAllen had 144 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
The data was provided to Straight Arrow News by Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who represents the state’s 28th Congressional District, which goes from San Antonio all the way to the southern border.
“I’ve lived my entire life and raised my family along the southern border,” Cuellar said in a statement. “Every year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation releases crime statistics that show how crime rates are lower in border communities compared to non-border cities across the United States.”
The Texas border cities also had a significantly lower murder rate.
New Orleans had about 53 murders per 100,000 people, Washington and Cleveland were both at nearly 39. The national average in 2023 was 5.7 murders per 100,000 people.
The Texas border communities were all below that. El Paso and Laredo had the highest number of murders at five and about four, respectively.
“Our border remains safe and secure because of the efforts from our federal, state, and local law enforcement,” Cuellar stated. “It is imperative that our officers continue to be supported. As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fund programs that support our law enforcement and protect our communities.”
Nationwide, crime decreased in 2023. Overall violent crime went down by 3% compared to the year before, while murders decreased by more than 11%.
