Immigration myths

Immigration rallies
An immigration rights opponent walks around with a sign as people react to the United States Supreme Court decision regarding Arizona's controversial immigration law, SB1070, coming down at the Arizona Capitol Monday, June 25, 2012, in Phoenix. The Supreme Court struck down key provisions of Arizona's crackdown on immigrants Monday but said a much-debated portion on checking suspects' status could go forward.
AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

When President Trump announced his presidential campaign in June 2015, he spoke about the need for immigration reform by saying of undocumented immigrants, "They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists."

This week troops from the National Guard are sending troops to the U.S./Mexico border and stirring yet up another immigration debate.

How much of the rhetoric and decision-making around immigration is based in fact? And how much is driven by partisan political agendas? And why is it so difficult to make the facts stick, no matter what your politics are on the issue?

MPR News host Kerri Miller asked two guests to help parse out the facts from myths.

Guests:

Alan Gomez, immigration reporter for USA Today.

Laura Collins, deputy director of economic growth at the George W. Bush Institute.