Trump’s Claim About Migrants Coming From Prisons and Mental Institutions: What We Know
In his January 20, 2025, inaugural address, President Donald Trump reiterated a claim that has circulated frequently during his presidency: that illegal immigrants are entering the U.S. from "prisons" and "mental institutions." Trump described this in his speech as part of a broader narrative about protecting law-abiding citizens from dangerous individuals who he claimed come from all over the world, including those recently released from South American prisons and psychiatric hospitals.
This claim, which has appeared in various forms since Trump’s 2024 election campaign, asserts that foreign countries, particularly in South America, are emptying out their prisons and mental hospitals and sending their most dangerous criminals to the U.S. Trump has used this narrative in speeches, rallying his supporters with stories of “heinous criminals” being shipped to the U.S.
However, fact-checkers and immigration experts have found no credible evidence to support the claim that South American countries are sending prisoners or patients from mental institutions to the U.S. The Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates for stricter immigration policies, and the Migration Policy Institute, which is more supportive of immigration, both have stated that they have no knowledge of any such actions by foreign governments.
Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) does show a rise in the arrests of "criminal noncitizens" — people with criminal convictions, whether from the U.S. or abroad — attempting to cross the U.S. border. However, this data does not specify the countries of origin for these individuals, and it doesn’t clarify whether they were eventually allowed to enter the U.S. Additionally, CBP does not track whether those arrested have previously been hospitalized in psychiatric institutions.
In 2024, Pierluigi Mancini, an expert in immigrant behavioral health, told PolitiFact that the arduous journey to the U.S. border would be a significant obstacle for those with mental illnesses. "Since I last made those comments, there has been no evidence that countries are emptying their prisons and mental health hospitals to send them to the U.S.," he stated. Similarly, Dr. Luz Maria Garcini, an expert in immigrant health, noted that the conditions for migrants waiting on the Mexican side of the U.S. border are harsh, which makes it difficult for individuals with mental health issues to endure such a journey.
Trump’s references to a South American doctor whose patients were allegedly sent to the U.S. to fill quotas in mental health institutions have not been substantiated by any reputable sources. Furthermore, experts in immigration health have consistently dismissed the notion that the U.S. is receiving a large influx of mentally ill migrants from psychiatric facilities.
Even organizations that advocate for reduced immigration, such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), have not been able to confirm the validity of Trump’s claims. Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, acknowledged that no new information has surfaced to support Trump’s statements.
The origins of the claim appear to have stemmed from the 1980 Mariel boatlift, where Cuban asylum-seekers were allowed to enter the U.S., some of whom had been released from Cuban prisons and psychiatric hospitals. However, this event occurred more than 40 years ago, and referencing it in the context of current immigration trends does not provide relevant or reliable evidence for Trump’s claims.
In conclusion, while Trump’s rhetoric about migrants coming from prisons and mental institutions persists, no credible evidence has emerged to substantiate this claim. The data available from U.S. border authorities primarily shows an increase in arrests of criminal noncitizens at the border, but it does not provide any clear link to the specific countries or mental health histories of those arrested. As of now, Trump’s assertions about foreign countries deliberately sending their prisoners and psychiatric patients to the U.S. remain unproven.
