Trump Attributes Drop in Auto Insurance to His Immigration Policies; Experts Disagree
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
This week, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that his strict immigration policies led to a drop in auto insurance premiums, falsely blaming illegal immigration during his predecessor's administration for a previous increase. Trump shared a graph on Monday via his Truth Social platform showing the year-over-year change in premiums from 2021 to 2026, indicating a sharp rise from 2021 to 2023, followed by a decline starting in 2024. Experts, however, state that the COVID-19 pandemic, not illegal immigration, primarily caused the spike. They argue that the rise in costs was due to pandemic-related factors such as riskier driving behaviors and supply chain disruptions. As insurers improved their financial situations, they began lowering rates to remain competitive. There is no evidence that illegal immigration significantly impacted either the rise or fall of insurance premiums. A 2023 study found that areas with higher illegal immigration had more uninsured drivers, which does raise premiums, but this correlation exists only in states where undocumented individuals cannot obtain driver's licenses. Trump also reiterated his unfounded claim that Biden's immigration policies allowed millions of criminals to enter the U.S. The White House has not yet responded to requests for comments.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
