Posted on 03/31/2006 7:49:32 PM PST by Pikamax
With the immigration debate raging in Congress and immigration supporters spilling out into the streets, the latest Time Poll finds a lopsided majority of the American public, 72%, favor a "guest worker" program in a head-to-head match-up over a House bill that would criminalize illegal immigration.
The latest Time Poll of 1,004 adults, conducted March 29-30, finds that even a large majority of border state residents, 78%, favor the guest worker approach over expelling illegals. Large majorities of Republicans (66%), Democrats (75%), and Independents (73%) favor the guest worker approach.
Favor Tougher Border Security Too As a fractured Congress debates immigration reform, two-thirds (68%) say that illegal immigration is an extremely/very serious problem in the United States. A large majority believe the U.S. is not doing enough to secure its borders (82%). While Americans overwhelmingly favor the guest worker option, they also want a crackdown at the border and stiff penalties for employers who hire illegals.
The debate has Americans voicing sometimes contradictory opinions. A small majority (51%) still think the U.S. would be "better off" by deporting all illegal immigrants compared to a little less than two-in-five (38%) who think the U.S. would be "worse off." Americans would also limit illegals' access to government services, such as driver's licenses (69% not allow), health care/food stamps (75% not allow), and attending public schools (51% not allow). Support Beyond Guest Workers Most Americans would allow illegal immigrants to gain citizenship under certain circumstances.
Demonstrations Backfire? Partisanship and Geography Differences
Other Political Fallout As President Bush meets in Cancun on immigration and trade issues with the leaders of Mexico and Canada, Bush's overall approval rating sits at 37%. A majority disapprove of his handling of illegal immigration (56% disapprove - 25% approve). His disapproval score on immigration is down five points from January's 61% disapprove 24% approve. Almost equal numbers of Americans are more likely to vote for (29%) or vote against (28%) a candidate who favors criminalizing illegal immigration. More than 1 in 3 (37%) say it wouldn't have much effect on their vote. Republicans in Congress are more likely to feel the heat on this issue. Republicans (37%) are more likely than Democrats (24%) to support a candidate for Congress who favors making illegal immigration a crime.
The biggest concern for Americans regarding illegal immigration is the drain on taxpayers' dollars to provide services such as health care and education to them (61% "very concerned"). Concern is higher among Republicans (67%) and Southerners (65%). Other major concerns about illegal immigrants are that they:
Methodology This Time Magazine poll was conducted by telephone between March 29-30, 2006 among a national random sample of 1,004 adults, age 18 and older throughout America. The margin of error for the entire sample is approximately +/- 3 percentage points. The margin of error is higher for subgroups. Surveys are subject to other error sources as well, including sampling coverage error, recording error, and respondent error. The Poll's partisan breakdown is as follows: Schulman, Ronca, & Bucuvalas (SRBI) Public Affairs designed the survey and conducted all interviewing. The full Time questionnaire and trend data may be found at: www.srbi.com.
Please Tell Me Which Comes Closest To Your Views
% Favor
Total (%)
Republican (%)
Democrat (%)
Independent (%)
Allow Illegal Immigrants To Get Temporary Work Visas
72
66
75
73
Make Illegal Immigration a Crime And Not Allow Anyone Who Entered The Country Illegaly to Work or Stay In the U.S.
25
32
22
24
About 2 in 3 (67%) are aware of this week's demonstrations by immigrants and immigrant rights activists in a number of cities. The demonstrations likely had little effect currying support for their pro-immigrant position. Among the people who were aware of the demonstrations, only 14% reported that the protests made them more supportive of rights for illegal immigrants, while almost three times as many, 40%, said that the demonstrations make them less supportive. Almost half (44%) said that the demonstrations had no effect on their stance.
Partisan differences complicate the issue further. However, these are mainly differences in degree:
Do You Favor or Oppose the Following to Deal with Illegal Immigration?
% Favor
Total (%)
Republican (%)
Democrat (%)
Allowing illegal immigrants to register as guest workers
79
79
77
Allowing illegal immigrants in the US, citizenship if they learn English, have a job and pay taxes
78
73
82
Granting temporary visas to immigrants not in the US so they can do seasonal/temporary work and return to home countries
72
72
71
Providing and enforcing penalties for employers convicted of hiring illegal immigrants
71
77
66
Stopping illegal immigrants from entering the US by taking whatever steps necessary to guard the border
62
71
54
Deporting all illegal immigrants
47
58
45
How Concerned Are You About Each Item Concerning Illegal Immigrants?
% Very Concerned
Total (%)
Republican (%)
Democrat (%)
Independent (%)
Costs taxpayers too much money to provide them with services
61
67
57
61
They increase the likelihood of terrorism in the U.S.
44
52
40
44
American workers can't afford to work for the same low wages as illegal immigrants
43
43
43
42
They increase the amount of crime
40
46
38
39
They take jobs away from Americans
35
36
37
30
There are too many people in the U.S.
33
30
34
33
Weaken American way of life
29
33
25
28
32% Democrat
28% Republican
25% Independent
Within 5 years time will be a 2 page hand out . What a pathetic attempt . I suppose we should be happy , this may be the first time they agree with bush .
This said "MAKE Illegal immigration a crime" it's already a crime. Illegal means a crime, doesn't it?
This said "MAKE Illegal immigration a crime" it's already a crime. Illegal means a crime, doesn't it?
Makes you wonder if half the prostesors even know what they are protesting. If they're watching cnn, they had probably concluded that the US may stop immigration. Period. LOL
It is illegal to drive 50 mph in a 30 mph zone.
You are not a criminal for doing so.
Jorge sez; Build the wall THEN give us a guest worker program!
My version is that a guest worker MUST
* Have a full background check and get certified. They would then be able to cross the border for extended periods of time with minimum hassle.
* Any child born of a guest worker would be a citizen of the country of the parents citizenship.
* All employers of guest workers must report all employees to a government agency.
* All employers of guest workers must abide by the same employee/employer rules at the rest of the country.
* All guest workers that commit crimes will have their guest worker status revoked and will be returned to their country of citizenship at the cost of the originating country.
* Any one entering the country that has had a guest worker certification revoked will be sent to an outsourced prison (India or China) for life without parole.
* Anyone entering the country without proper certifications, visas, or other federally official authorization shall be sent to an outsourced prison for no less than 10 years.
AND NO ILLEGALS ALREADY IN USA ARE ELIGIBLE
The only way we can win is if we keep calling and writing our congressman and Senators.
Quinnipiac University poll. Feb. 21-28, 2006. N=1,892 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 2.3. |
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"As you may know, immigrants to the United States can be here legally -- that is, they have been legally admitted to the country and are allowed to live and work here; or they can be here illegally. Such immigrants are sometimes called 'undocumented' because they do not have papers allowing them to live and work here. Should legal immigration into the United States be kept at its present level, increased, or decreased?" |
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Present Level |
Increased | Decreased | Unsure | |||
% | % | % | % | |||
2/21-28/06 | 33 | 24 | 39 | 4 | ||
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"How serious a problem is illegal immigration into the United States: a very serious problem, a somewhat serious problem, not too serious a problem or not a problem at all?" |
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Very Serious |
Somewhat Serious |
Not Too Serious |
Not a Problem |
Unsure | ||
% | % | % | % | % | ||
2/21-28/06 | 57 | 31 | 9 | 2 | 1 | |
. |
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"Do you support or oppose making it easier for illegal immigrants to become citizens?" |
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Support | Oppose | Unsure | ||||
% | % | % | ||||
2/21-28/06 | 32 | 62 | 6 | |||
. |
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"Do you support or oppose making it easier for illegal immigrants to become legal workers?" |
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. |
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Support | Oppose | Unsure | ||||
% | % | % | ||||
2/21-28/06 | 41 | 54 | 4 | |||
. |
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"Do you support or oppose allowing illegal immigrants to get drivers' licenses?" |
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. |
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Support | Oppose | Unsure | ||||
% | % | % | ||||
2/21-28/06 | 25 | 72 | 4 | |||
. |
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"Do you support or oppose requiring proof of legal residency in order to obtain government benefits?" |
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. |
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Support | Oppose | Unsure | ||||
% | % | % | ||||
2/21-28/06 | 84 | 14 | 3 | |||
. |
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"Do you support or oppose eliminating the automatic American citizenship for illegal immigrants' children who are born in the United States?" |
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. |
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Support | Oppose | Unsure | ||||
% | % | % | ||||
2/21-28/06 | 42 | 50 | 7 | |||
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Nice.
A large majority believe the U.S. is not doing enough to secure its borders (82%).
Immigration Issue Remains Divisive | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Survey of 1,000 Adults March 28-29, 2006
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March 30, 2006--As Congress considers legislation to reform the immigration process, the nation remains divided on how to proceed. By a 65% to 25% margin, Americans say it is more important to reduce the number of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. than it is to expand legal opportunities for foreign workers to get jobs in the U.S. However, that doesn't translate into an overwhelming public desire to force illegal aliens out of the country. Thirty-nine percent (39%) of Americans say there should be some way for illegal aliens with a job to stay in the U.S. legally. Forty-four percent (44%) disagree while 17% are not sure. Fully a quarter (25%) of those who believe reducing illegal immigration is the top priority also believe that some way should be found to keep illegal immigrants in the country legally. Earlier surveys on immigration have found support for building a barrier along the Mexican border and positive attitudes towards citizen patrols along the border. Another survey found that most Americans consider current immigration laws a threat to both national security and the economy. Three-fourths of all Americans believe it is too easy for people from other countries to enter the United States.
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This was actually the original plan. I'm not sure if it still is. I hope so. It's the plan I support
Enforcement on the border has to be first priority, however
Exactly. Unfortunately the illegals already here are not going anywhere so we have time to deal with that after we plug the holes in our borders.
You know what would be a lot more effective than calling our Senators? Recalling some of them.
I notice that Time is presuming that the guest worker program is for illegals that are already here. I do not favor that, nor amnesty for illegals.
I do favor a guest worker program for those who are not here, but want to come here to work for a limited time to work. I am not against those who come here legally, even temporarily, having an opportunity to later become citizens.
Along with a guest worker program for those who want to work here legally, I would demand that anyone who has been deported from here for being here illegally in the past, present or future not be able to get in the guest worker program or get any other visa at all, ever.
I can't believe I forgot that one. I must be getting tired.
The only way we can win is if we keep calling and writing our congressman and Senators.
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
what a biased poll
"What is illegal that is not also criminal?"
Good question. Here is another question. How can a bill criminalize illegal immigration? Isn't illegal immigration already criminal?
32% Democrat
28% Republican
25% Independent
Speaking of statistically valid - I guess the 15% not accounted for in the poll population are illegal aliens!
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