Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Latinos Divided on Bush Immigration Plan
AP ^ | 1/29/04 | JUSTIN PRITCHARD

Posted on 01/29/2004 2:13:08 PM PST by anniegetyourgun

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Hispanics generally approve of President Bush's proposal for a national guest worker program, but their opposition grows after they learn its details, a poll released Thursday shows.

The survey found 42 percent of respondents supported Bush's immigration reform plan, with 20 percent opposed and the remainder undecided. But opinions split 45-45 once respondents were informed that most immigrant workers would have to return home once their legal status expired.

"They seem to think that the proposal is incomplete," said Sergio Bendixen, who conducted the poll for New California Media, a nationwide coalition of ethnic news organizations.

Bush's plan would let currently undocumented immigrants work U.S. jobs for up to six years.

Three-quarters of respondents said they preferred a plan that lets foreign workers earn citizenship through their work - a central theme among proposals from members of Congress since Bush announced his plan earlier this month.

Pollsters between Jan. 20-26 conducted a telephone survey of 800 people with Latino surnames who identified themselves as being Hispanic. Such methodology is sometimes used by pollsters but critics say it is not as reliable as drawing a sample through random-digit dialing. The sampling error margin was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Bush's guest worker plan was big news in Hispanic communities: Three-quarters of poll respondents said they had heard about it, but nearly two-thirds saw it as an election year attempt to woo Hispanic voters.

The policy debate will likely have implications for the presidential race, in which both parties are courting Hispanics, who account for an increasingly important voting bloc in national elections.

Hispanics were important to Bush's election in 2000. He garnered just 35 percent of their votes, but Hispanics traditionally have voted more solidly Democratic.

---

Associated Press Writer Leslie Hoffman in Albuquerque contributed to this report.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: aliens; bush43; immigration; immigrationplan; latinos

1 posted on 01/29/2004 2:13:10 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: anniegetyourgun
Propose an inch, they'll demand a mile.
2 posted on 01/29/2004 2:30:48 PM PST by WayneM (Cut the KRAP (Karl Rove Amnesty Plan). Call your elected officials and say "NO!!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WayneM
I understand Kerry is proposing 10 miles.
3 posted on 01/29/2004 2:33:24 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: anniegetyourgun
This shows how ill-aimed Bush's proposal really is.

He'll wind up losing more support than he gains.

As for this bogus poll, my guess is most Hispanics who are legal residents and citizens do not consider this plan or any plan to benefit illegal aliens as something very important to them.

The REpublicans should address more effort towards recruiting Americans of Hispanic background who are family-orineted businesspeople - the kind of individuals more likely to ascribe to Republican than Bolshevik economic and social policies.
4 posted on 01/29/2004 2:35:16 PM PST by ZULU (Remember the Alamo!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: anniegetyourgun
LOL, I think you anderstand correctly!
5 posted on 01/29/2004 2:35:26 PM PST by knak (wasknaknowknid)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson