The Numbers Are In: Polls Reveal Voters’ Desire to Fix Immigration
Arizona, Demographics, Immigration Blog, Reform, Restrictionists, State and Local Immigration Law, Undocumented Immigration Add comments
In the media storm following the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit against Arizona’s immigration enforcement law (SB1070) this week, politicians, reporters and advocates are busy gauging voters’ reaction in the build up to midterm elections. A number of public opinion polls have recently surfaced, each with something slightly different to say about how most Americans feel about Arizona’s law, the DOJ lawsuit, and immigration in general. As any pollster can tell you, poll results depend entirely on the phrasing of the question. However, while it’s difficult to mine the nuances of each poll question, one thing remains clear—most Americans agree that our broken immigration system needs to be fixed. The question is, how do we move forward?
A new bipartisan poll conducted by Lake Research Partners and Public Opinion Strategies found that the majority of voters who support Arizona’s immigration law are also more likely to support comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). The poll asked the following question about a CIR proposal:
Under this proposal, the federal government would strengthen border security and crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants currently living in the United States would be required to register with the federal government, undergo criminal background checks, pay taxes, learn English, and go to the back of the line for U.S. citizenship.
84% of the 1,100 registered voters polled who said they support Arizona’s law said they also support comprehensive reform, with 12% opposing and 4% undetermined.
A recent Gallup/USA Today poll, however, shows that Americans are closely divided on whether the U.S. government should halt the flow of undocumented immigrants or deal with the undocumented immigrants already here. 54% of the 1,014 adults, aged 18 and older, surveyed supported halting the flow while 45% wanted a plan to deal with the immigrants who are already here. The number of people supporting a comprehensive plan is up from 43% in May of 2006 while the number of those who want a halt is down from 52% in the same year.
Finally, a recent Rasmussen poll found that 61% of voters “favor passage of Arizona’s law” in their state. The same poll found that 56% of voters disagreed with the DOJ lawsuit while 28% agreed the DOJ should challenge the state law.
But no matter how your slice these varied poll results, one thing remains constant—voters are clearly concerned about immigration and many, regardless of their stance on Arizona’s law or the DOJ lawsuit, want to fix our broken immigration system. As America’s Voice points out, voters are clearly frustrated with the fact that Congress has failed to move on immigration. With the recent upswing in state immigration enforcement legislation, voters are sending policy-makers a very clear message: America needs solutions to our immigration problems now.
Photo by batega.
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July 9th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
I support immigration reform and I do not agree with the passage of Arizona’s law. I support the lawsuit filed by the Justice Department. This country was founded by immigrants and a majority here are seeking a better life for their families and they come here from third party countries with no ecomomic future. The problem is that this individuals are employed by companies that uses and abuses them because they currently know that these individuals are undocumented.
July 10th, 2010 at 9:59 am
We need reform now!!!! The President and the Congress had admitted that the immigration system is broken and it needs overhaul but the problem is no one has the guts to do the job of fixing the broken system, and we know for a fact that families are suffering being torn apart for years and years. Young innocent people cannot attend College, and agricultural job is being affected of all this broken system. United States of America is a nation of immigrants and because of these immigrants america prosper. American’s are very well known in the world as compassionate and always help people for humanitarian reason. Well american’s need to help those people within their community not deporting them.
July 12th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Lack of comprehensive immigration reform is more damaging for our economy and the security of our country than for the undocumented immigrant themselves. The miopic republican approach to the issue is unintelligent and reflects it’s true intention: etnich displacement. Their fear of confronting the fact that today’s undocumented could be tomoroow’s voters is too unsetteling for them.
July 13th, 2010 at 11:57 pm
All of this militarized and law-enforcement approach to the migration issue coming from both political parties is one more false fear tactic. It distracts the people’s attention from the huge amounts of their taxpayer dollars going to the already too wealthy and powerful elite. This nation’s independence ended oppression by an empire driven by the wealthy and powerful elite of their day. Today we still have taxation without representation. Today our tax dollars finance the agenda of another empire, the global economic empire driven by the wealthy and powerful elite of our day. This time it is in the guise of solving the migration problem. Some of the people are not fooled. We know that the wealthy and powerful elite are at the root cause of migration all over this planet.
Stop the wealthy and powerful elite from corrupting regimes that force these people off their lands and allow the devastation of their environment. Stop the wealthy and powerful elite from stealing the oil, gas, agriculture, forests, minerals, and water that exist where these people live. Stop the wealthy and powerful elite from further exploiting these displaced people who are left with no choice but to work for them at cheap, below subsistence wages, thereby impoverishing those who previously were living a sustainable lifestyle.
Like some of the people, most of the politicians are not fooled either. They too know the root cause of migration. Having accepted contributions from the wealthy and powerful elite they no longer represent the will of the people. If the people were offered a choice they would attack this migration issue at its root cause. They do not prefer more militarization and law-enforcement and spending of their tax dollars. This federal lawsuit challenging SB1070 is not enough. Comprehensive immigration reform is not enough. If the root cause of migration does not go away, migration does not go away. Our tax dollars are spent wantonly while the human suffering continues.