Poll on Illegal Immigrants

[Fischkoepfin 1]

April 14, 2006

In Polls, Illegal Immigrants Are Called Burden

By MARJORIE CONNELLY

Americans see illegal immigrants as using more public services than they pay for and want the government to do a better job of controlling the borders, but they favor legal status for current illegal immigrants under specific conditions, according to national polls released this week.

Those polled say President Bush is handling immigration matters poorly, and they are more likely to trust the Democrats to do a better job than the Republicans.

About 6 in 10 Americans surveyed by CBS News described the problem of illegal immigration as very serious. Illegal immigration was characterized as "out of control" by 81 percent in a USA Today/Gallup poll. And three-quarters of those questioned in an ABC News/Washington Post poll said the United States was not doing enough to keep illegal immigrants from entering the country.

But a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll found 63 percent of the respondents supported an approach that combined tougher enforcement of immigration laws along with a program of temporary work visas for illegal immigrants, while 30 percent would rather see the focus on tougher enforcement alone. The public is divided on whether illegal immigrants should be allowed to apply for permits to stay and work. In the CBS News poll, 49 percent said illegal immigrants should be allowed to apply, and 43 percent opposed the idea.

But that poll found 74 percent in favor of giving legal status to those who have lived in the United States for at least five years, if they can speak English, pay a fine and any back taxes and have no criminal record. Twenty-three percent of those polled opposed that approach. The USA Today/Gallup poll found approval for various possible requirements for legal status, with 90 percent of those surveyed saying that illegal immigrants must be employed. More than 80 percent said the ability to speak English, pass a health screening and pay back taxes should be conditions. And smaller majorities favored limiting the program to those who have been here for at least five years, have paid a fine, and have relatives living legally in the United States.

The polls gave President Bush low marks for his management of immigration. For example, only 26 percent of the public, including 42 percent of Republicans and 20 percent of independents, approved of his handling of the immigration issue in the CBS News poll. Fifty-three percent of all respondents disapproved.

The Republican Party is seen as less able than the Democrats to manage the complex issue of immigration. In the ABC News/Washington Post poll, 50 percent said they trusted the Democrats to do a better job of handling immigration issues, and 38 percent said the Republicans would do a better job.

Reservations about illegal immigrants appear to center on their use of public services, rather than worries about unemployment or national security. In the ABC News/Washington Post poll, a third of those surveyed said their biggest concern was illegal immigrants using "more public services than they pay for in taxes."

Just over half of the public said the jobs that legal or illegal immigrants took were ones that Americans did not want. In the CBS News poll, 34 percent said illegal immigrants took jobs away from Americans; 29 percent said the same about legal immigrants.

The ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted April 6 to 9 with 1,027 adults, the CBS News poll April 6 to 9 with 899 adults, the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll April 8 to 11 with 1,357 adults, and the USA Today/Gallup poll April 7 to 9 with 1,004 adults. The four telephone surveys each have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company

Source

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Interesting. I also read yesterday, maybe from a different poll (not sure) that the majority of people who consider themselves Republicans support some form of guest worker program for those already here.

[almaty 19]

this is a Bush initiative....and some GOP feel a loyalty to support their man...also, guest work= more profits..

[Fischkoepfin 1]

That's why it is interesting that Bush gets such a low rating on immigration, even among Republicans less than 50%. The GOP is about to split over this issue...

[iceyspots 0]

wow.. now people are saying that legal immigrants take their jobs... sheesh.. go back to school and get a diploma.

[Jasman0717 9]

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

PArt of the problem with these polls is, of course, that the politicians and the media have been busy mis-informing and misguiding the public about the issues. You hear things like "immigrants contribute billions to the economy" when folks discuss the illegals. There, they just go and lump all immigrants, legal and illegal, together and come up with numbers that sound good. Just heard some a$$hat talk that kind of ####### the other day on NPR and it made me angry. With all this blurring that's been purposely pushed out there, what is the public supposed to base an informed opinion on? There's nothing but misinformation on the issue in the mainstream media in regards to illegal immigration. Nobody talks about previous amnesties and how all that those accomplished in the end was to encourage more folks to sneak on in and more employeres to break the law.

This whole debate is just insane the way it is being shaped and the way facts are distorted beyond recognition. The average American knows nothing about immigration. The average American thinks that if a US citizen marries a foreigner, you just bring them home with the brand spanking new US passport that you can pick them up at the nearest US Embassy. Always keep that in mind when reading these polls.

[/rant]

[rebeccajo 14]

Anyway you slice it, it's bad press for all immigrants.

And it encourages isolationism - the #1 top-priority goal of this administration.

[peejay 327]

Anyway you slice it, it's bad press for all immigrants.

And it encourages isolationism - the #1 top-priority goal of this administration.

With the biggest trade deficit in history (in everyone elses favor), American troops fighting abroad, hundreds of illegal aliens crossing our border every night, and proposals to increase legal immigration to up to 30 million over 10 years...I don't see any isolation going on here.

Quite the opposite.

[MrMrsKnight 0]

This whole debate is just insane the way it is being shaped and the way facts are distorted beyond recognition. The average American knows nothing about immigration. The average American thinks that if a US citizen marries a foreigner, you just bring them home with the brand spanking new US passport that you can pick them up at the nearest US Embassy. Always keep that in mind when reading these polls.

[/rant]

But not only the average American...... it's irritating to hear that from people everywhere and I'm sure my non-USC friends here will back me up. At first even my dad didn't realize it wasn't that easy! Everyone seems to have the same questions "Why won't Dave take you to his home in the US? Why is it taking so long? There must be something very wrong...." It's SO upsetting!!!

Now it's a little better though.....

[I'm Gone 60]

This is one of those things like NAFTA that what the people think just doesn't matter to the powers to be.

[PsychoKat 0]

PArt of the problem with these polls is, of course, that the politicians and the media have been busy mis-The average American knows nothing about immigration. The average American thinks that if a US citizen marries a foreigner, you just bring them home with the brand spanking new US passport that you can pick them up at the nearest US Embassy. Always keep that in mind when reading these polls.

[/rant]

Uh huh, been there done that bought the T-shirt. I was one of those average Americans, was painful when I found out that was not the case. I'm much more informed now....a little late...but definately informed.

One of the many reasons I strongly advocate researching beyond media reports and politicians speeches before forming opinions and taking stands.

[ChristinaM 0]

PArt of the problem with these polls is, of course, that the politicians and the media have been busy mis-informing and misguiding the public about the issues. You hear things like "immigrants contribute billions to the economy" when folks discuss the illegals. There, they just go and lump all immigrants, legal and illegal, together and come up with numbers that sound good. Just heard some a$$hat talk that kind of ####### the other day on NPR and it made me angry. With all this blurring that's been purposely pushed out there, what is the public supposed to base an informed opinion on? There's nothing but misinformation on the issue in the mainstream media in regards to illegal immigration. Nobody talks about previous amnesties and how all that those accomplished in the end was to encourage more folks to sneak on in and more employeres to break the law.

This whole debate is just insane the way it is being shaped and the way facts are distorted beyond recognition. The average American knows nothing about immigration. The average American thinks that if a US citizen marries a foreigner, you just bring them home with the brand spanking new US passport that you can pick them up at the nearest US Embassy. Always keep that in mind when reading these polls.

[/rant]

And that's why we, the legal immigrant community, need to get on a damn big soapbox and make our voices heard!

[/shameless promotion of political position ]

[gimygirl 0]

[MrMrsKnight 0]