Replies

Sinkspur post#43: America has no stomach to deport 10 million illegals, no matter what those with blinders on on this website think.

Sinkspur post#61: The vast majority of Americans care about illegal immigration, but not that much.

Your usual misinformed spin.

78% of those polled support mandatory detention and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation for anyone here illegally.
69% of those polled support a mandatory prison term and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation, for anyone here illegally.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Americans Talk About Illegal Immigration

Americans Talk About Illegal Immigration

RoperASW Poll, March 2003
Prepared for Negative Population Growth
Following are the highlights of the findings of a nationally representative survey of 1,012 American adults (18+) who live in the continental United States. All sample was drawn randomly from an RDD (random digit dialing) list. For more details or to read the full report, click here.
Legal Immigration
Three Americans in Four Would Reduce Number of Immigrants Allowed Annually Into the U.S.

76% of those polled prefer legal immigration less than current levels of almost one million a year.
58% of those polled prefer legal immigration levels of less than 300,000 a year.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Illegal Immigration
Virtually All Americans Believe Illegal Immigration Is a “Serious” Problem; Majority Believes It Is “Very Serious”

85% of those polled believe illegal immigration is a "serious" problem.
55% of those polled believe illegal immigration is a "very serious" problem.
68% of those polled agree with halting illegal immigration as a goal.
67% of those polled agree with reducing the number of illegal aliens now present in the United States to near zero as a goal.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Methods to Deal with Illegal Immigration
87% of those polled support sanctions against employers who hire illegal aliens.
To Halt Illegal Immigration, Policy of Mandatory Detention of Illegals Is Preferred Over Prison, but Both Have Strong Support

83% of those polled support mandatory detention and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation for anyone here illegally.
70% of those polled support a mandatory prison term and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation, for anyone here illegally.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

To Reduce Number of Illegal Immigrants to “Near Zero,” Policy of Mandatory Detention of Illegals Is Preferred Over Prison, but Both Have Strong Support

78% of those polled support mandatory detention and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation for anyone here illegally.
69% of those polled support a mandatory prison term and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation, for anyone here illegally.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Employers and Illegal Immigration
Majority of Americans Support Verification and Sanctions Against Employers Who Hire Illegal Aliens

87% of those polled agree and 69% strongly agree that the Federal government should strictly enforce present laws calling for criminal penalties for employers who, after having been repeatedly fined, continue to knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
79% agree and 67% strongly agree that the Federal government should strictly enforce present laws calling for heavy fines for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
79% agree and 58% strongly agree that the Federal government should require all employers to verify U.S. citizenship or lawful presence for each job applicant by a telephone or online check to a central data base maintained by the U.S. government.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Role of State and Local Governments
Majority of Americans Agree Congress Should Require State/Local Government Agencies to Notify Both Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and Local Law-Enforcement Agencies When They Determine a Person is Here Illegally or Has Presented a False ID

88% agree and 68% strongly agree that Congress should pass a law requiring state and local government agencies to notify both the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and their local law-enforcement agency when they determine that a person is here illegally, or has presented a false identification document.
85% agree and 62% strongly agree that Congress should pass a law requiring state and local governments, and law enforcement agencies, to apprehend and turn over to the INS illegal immigrants with whom they come in contact.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Return to Public Opinion page
Poll categories

- Legal Immigration

- Illegal Immigration

- Methods to Deal with Illegal Immigration

- Employers and Illegal Immigration

- Role of State and Local Governments

You: Deportation will not happen. Neither party will support it!

Me: Politicians don't, yet. Voters will.

You: Wanna bet? The vast majority of Americans care about illegal immigration, but not that much.

Politicians don't need to lose a vast majority of their votes to lose most elections. The votes that swing on Illegals are mostly not going to swing against a politician who supports deportation, and will swing against a politician who supports Amnesty. Exit polling will bear this out in November.
Hot button issues have their moment. President Bush has miscalculated and made Illegals a hot-button issue this year with his unpopular Amnesty proposal. While it's true that the Democrats aren't poised to capitalize, as they also favor Amnesty, and Bush will likely be elected, this move will cost GOP votes and seats down-ticket, unless it is thoroughly rebuffed by the GOP candidates in accordance with the wishes of the party rank and file.
You don't think politicians will notice?
You don't think that Al Gore noticed that gun control cost him Tennessee and the Presidency in 2000?
After enough two-by-fours, politicians notice.