Texas Border Business
LAREDO, Texas — Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), released the FBI’s 2024 crime statistics, which over the years have consistently shown what residents along the southern border already know. These communities are safer than many non-border cities across the United States.
“When our communities are safe, everything else becomes possible,” said Dr. Cuellar. “Jobs grow. Schools succeed. Families thrive. For me, safety isn’t just a number in a report. It’s about whether parents feel secure sending their kids off to school in the morning, whether a worker can head to the job site, or a mother can drive to the store knowing their community is looking out for them. It’s about whether families can walk into church on Sunday with peace of mind. Year after year, FBI data shows our border communities are among the safest in the country, and that’s something we should all be proud of. That’s why I’ll continue fighting in Washington to make sure our law enforcement officers have the resources they need and our families have the peace of mind they deserve. I want to thank law enforcement at the local, state, and federal level, as well as local leaders across the southern border, for their tireless efforts to keep our communities safe.”
According to the FBI’s 2024 Uniform Crime Report, Detroit, Michigan, had a murder rate of 31.17 for every 100,000 people and a violent crime rate of 1781.3 for every 100,000 people. In addition, Baltimore, Maryland, had a murder rate of 34.8 for every 100,000 residents and a violent crime rate of 1606.16 for every 100,000 people. Nationally, the murder rate was 5 per 100,000 people, and the violent crime rate was 359.1 per 100,000 people.
Along the border, however, these rates are significantly lower. Laredo, Texas, recorded a murder rate of 2.32 and a violent crime rate of 365.84 per 100,000 residents, while Rio Grande City, Texas, had a murder rate of 0 and a violent crime rate of just 184.3 per 100,000 residents.
Below are bar graphs showing murder rates and violent crime rates between Texas border cities and select U.S. cities, as well as Texas border cities and national averages.
